Boy awarded €1.5m in settlement for car crash

A young boy who suffered serious injuries in a car crash, in which his sister and her best friend were killed, is to receive €1.5 million under a settlement of his High Court action.

John Logan was one of four children in a car driven by Mary Carberry, an alcoholic who was uninsured and banned from driving, when it crashed into a mud embankment outside Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, in November 2007. He was four years of age at the time.

His nine-year-old sister Michaela and Ms Carberry’s six-year-old daughter Ava died in the crash while John and Ava’s sister Faith suffered injuries.

Ms Carberry, Clonguish Court, Newtownforbes, Co Longford, was later sentenced to six years imprisonment with two years suspended in relation to the crash.

Various other legal actions arose from the crash and the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, yesterday approved a €1.5 million settlement in favour of John against the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI). The judge wished the child well in the future.

Earlier, outlining the case, the boy’s counsel Declan McGovern SC said John was a back seat passenger in the car when it hit a clay embankment on the old Edgworthstown Road on November 26th, 2007. John suffered a head injury and an Erb’s palsy injury to his arm. He still has language and learning difficulties.

John, Chambers Park, Kilcock, Co Kildare, had through his aunt Stephanie Logan, sued Mary Carberry; the MIBI and various others arising from the accident.

Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns was told the settlement was against the MIBI and the case against the other defendants could be struck out subject to assignment of the judgment against Mary Carberry.

Faith Varden Carberry, who was also injured in the crash settled her action for €200,000 against the MIBI last November.