€16k for child who sued his mother

A sum of €16,000 has been approved for a child who sued his mother after she put her car into the wrong gear and hit a wall.

The child suffered “a psychological reaction” after his mother hit a wall when she accidentally put the car into first gear instead of reverse, the Circuit Civil Court in Killarney was told.

Michael O’Donovan, now aged 8, suing through his father Michael O’Donovan Sr, of 36 Deerpark Crescent, Killarney, was in a booster seat in his mother Vera O’Donovan’s car on November 14, 2009. He was aged 3 at the time and his mother was parked in a car park.