'Unfortunately, it will never bring our girl back to those of us who still miss her every day'

Olivia Redmond O’Callaghan suffered 'an appalling repertoire of profoundly serious injuries' in crash

Norma Redmond Power, the mother of Olivia Redmond O’Callaghan, with stepfather Liam Power and solicitor John Henchion at the Four Courts, Dublin last November. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

“Unfortunately, it will never bring our girl back to those of us who still miss her every day.”

Those were the words of the heartbroken family of young mother Olivia Redmond O’Callaghan last November as they stood outside the Four Courts where the High Court had approved a €14.75m settlement of Olivia’s action over the devastating brain injuries she suffered in a road accident.

Olivia, who was 12 weeks pregnant with her third child, lost her husband Myles O’Callaghan in the smash on October 4, 2011. She was the passenger when the car he was driving crossed a double white line near an acute bend on the old Cork-Dublin road outside Glanmire and collided with a tractor and trailer.

'Appalling repertoire of injuries'

The court was told that 28-year old Olivia from Donoughmore, Co Cork was rendered totally incapacitated and had the “most appalling repertoire of profoundly serious injuries”.

“She has been left in an appalling sad state where she does not recognise her children and has been in institutional care since the accident,” John O’Mahony SC said. 

She carried her baby, Daniel, through all the trauma but she never regained awareness of the reality of her environment or home. She has no engagement with anybody.  

He added: “A lovely family has been literally destroyed.”

The settlement of the action was against the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland and Cork County Council.

Outside court, Olivia’s family said the €14.75m settlement will ensure they can plan for her future care and gives them hope for her further rehabilitation.

In a statement read by their solicitor, John Henchion, they said they continue to be most grateful to all those who helped Olivia and her late husband Myles at the scene of the crash: 

We also acknowledge the shock that the tractor driver experienced that day and that he did all he could to try and take evasive action. 

The statement added: “The staff at the Cork University Hospital did immense work for both Myles and Olivia.

“Thankfully, the skill of Mr George Kaar and his team together with the many supporting doctors and nurses managed to save Olivia’s life and that of her unborn child such that we were able to welcome a new addition to the family some months afterwards. This was obviously a time of huge joy, but coupled with enormous sadness as well.”

It further said: “On October 4, 2011, our grandchildren lost their parents; our daughter lost her big sister and brother-in-law and we lost our eldest daughter and son in law.

“At 3.20pm that afternoon the car in which Olivia and Myles were travelling on the old Dublin to Cork road crossed to it’s incorrect site colliding with a tractor with devastating consequences.”