A boy who was scalded when a toy bought as a memento of a visit to Dublin Zoo leaked fluid while he cuddled it in bed has settled his case for €20,000.
Monika Podsadna bought the gift for her then four-year-old son Arbi Miftari in the zoo’s souvenir shop as he was fascinated by the colourful fluid that filtered through the rubber toy, Judge Jennifer O’Brien heard in the Circuit Civil Court.
Barrister Sharbee Morrin said that while the Zoological Society of Ireland and the supplier or manufacturer of the product, Millars Ark Toys of Southport, Merseyside, England, were jointly sued, it was the toy company that had offered the €20,000 settlement.
He told Judge O’Brien the case against Dublin Zoo had been discontinued and should be struck out.
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Mr Morrin, who appeared with Reidy Stafford of Newbridge, Co Kildare, said Arbi, of The Avenue, Walshestown Park, Newbridge, brought the toy to bed every night after his September 2020 visit to the zoo.
Weeks later, after Arbi complained to his parents in the middle of the night about serious pain, it was discovered that fluid had leaked from the toy on to his arm and into his right armpit.
Mr Morrin said Arbi, now aged eight, suffered severe burning and blistering to his arm and armpit and was treated in the emergency department at Tallaght University Hospital. He had to return for follow-up dressing changes.
When Judge O’Brien asked what kind of fluid was in the toy, Mr Morrin said Millars Ark Toys had quickly made a settlement offer of €20,000, which resulted in no further investigation being carried out into the nature of the offending fluid.
Recommending the court’s acceptance of the offer, made by the company without conceding any liability for Arbi’s injuries, Mr Morrin said he felt the offer was a good one considering recommendations of compensation in official guidelines.
He said Arbi was not left with any scarring to his arm or armpit and his injuries cleared up in a matter of months.
Judge O’Brien said that since Arbi had not suffered ongoing injuries, she was happy to approve the offer.
