The "horrendous injuries" sustained by a pregnant woman after falling when her foot became caught in a mat at Dublin airport were attributed as being the cause of severe health problems experienced by her newborn child, the woman's lawyer told the High Court yesterday.
As a result of a "multitude of illnesses", Nora O'Reilly's son, Liam, died shortly after his second birthday, Patrick O'Connell SC said.
Mrs O'Reilly (43), Shanowen Park, Santry, Dublin, has sued Aer Rianta for damages for injuries she sustained when she tripped and fell at Dublin airport on December 12th, 1996. She was pregnant with her third child at the time of the accident.
The defendants have conceded liability in the action and it is proceeding only as an assessment of damages.
Opening the case, Mr O'Connell said Mrs O'Reilly and her family were at the airport to meet one of her sisters when her foot got caught on a mat close to an automatic door. While her foot was caught, her other foot slipped on a wet floor surface, he said.
Mrs O'Reilly had suffered "catastrophic injuries" to her right knee as a result, was screaming in agony and was taken to hospital. Her knee was dislocated and she required emergency surgery.
Counsel said his client and her family were living in Cork at the time but she had to move back to Dublin. She spent almost seven weeks in hospital and was afterwards confined to a wheelchair. After Liam was born in March 1997, the family remained in Dublin full time so he could receive medical attention.
A few weeks after birth, he was diagnosed with a number of medical problems, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy and quadriplegia.
Counsel said Liam required constant medical care, especially during the last months of his life when he was in Temple Street hospital. He died in April 1999.
Counsel said Mrs O'Reilly continues to suffer from pain on a daily basis, is unable to do things that most people take for granted and is likely to require reconstructive surgery in the future.
The hearing before Ms Justice Mary Irvine continues.