Barman who split shin open awarded €40k

A barman moving large gas bottles who had his shin ripped open on a steel-built stairway has been awarded €40,000 in compensation.

Judge David Riordan yesterday made the assessment of damages to plaintiff Raymond O’Callaghan from 30 Friars Road, Turners Cross, Cork.

He had been working at The Hanover in Cork when the accident happened on September 20, 2014.

The award was made against Pentagon Entertainment Ltd, Hanover Street, Cork, although the defendant company did not make any appearance at Cork Circuit Court yesterday for the case.

The plaintiff’s barrister, Eamon Shanahan, said the accident happened on a backstairs, described as being like a fire escape-type stairs.

Judge Riordan said: “Mr O’Callaghan is not putting up anything like a false claim.

“He clearly suffered a bad injury. [Having looked at the plaintiff’s injury], as a lay person, I would have said it happened three weeks ago but it happened a number of years ago.

“I note there is no plan for skin graft.

“It is a very nasty injury and it still causes difficulty for the plaintiff.

“The appropriate damages are €40,000 plus costs.”

Mr O’Callaghan gave evidence during the assessment of damages yesterday.

“I was loading empty gas cylinders, put them on the crane. I had to go down to steady the cradle of the crane as it could become twisted.

“I went downstairs. There was one handrail on one side. It would be classed as a fire escape. The stairs were wet,” the plaintiff said.

His foot slipped off a step and there was a flap type pull-back of skin on his shin that required 26 stitches.

“It became very badly infected four days later and I spent four days in hospital.

“And a nurse had to come to my house to dress it and give me intravenous antibiotics.

“When I am out and about sometimes, I wear a shin guard to protect it.

“I get shooting pains. I was out of work for six to eight weeks,” Mr O’Callaghan said.

The 42-year-old said he worked mainly in construction but worked part-time as a barman.