Fair City actress settles case against RTÉ for undisclosed amount

A former Fair City actress, who suffered whiplash injuries while filming a dangerous scene for the show, has settled, for an undisclosed sum, a €38,000 damages claim against RTE in the Circuit Civil Court.

Rebecca Smith, who played alcoholic solicitor Annette Daly in Fair City, claimed she was injured on November 24th, 2008 while filming a scene for the programme.

Ms Smith, of Killiney Towers, Killiney, Co Dublin, had alleged the accident happened in the area of Mount Merrion Church in Dublin when she was a passenger in a car driven by a stunt man employed by RTÉ.

She had not been aware that the scene, which was filmed several times, would require the driver to brake violently and she had been forcefully thrown forward and then backward. She claimed RTÉ should have provided a stunt double for the scene.

Smith claimed she felt immediate pain in her neck and upper back which later extended to her right arm and fingers. She had been taken to a VHI Swiftcare Clinic.

She stated in court documents that she had difficulty afterwards moving her cervical spine. She felt numbness and tingling in her right arm, index finger and thumb on an ongoing basis.

Ms Smith claimed she had a problem sleeping on her right side and discomfort in her neck. She had been out of work for a week and sued RTÉ for negligence.

Ms Smith claimed RTÉ, which had entered a defence to the claim, had failed to provide her with a stunt double to film what she described as a dangerous scene and had failed to ensure her safety.

Barrister Brendan Hennessy, counsel for Ms Smith, told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke today that the court could strike out Ms Smith’s claim, which had been settled.