€20,000 for boy who hurt finger in Dublin crèche door hinge

A four-year-old boy, who suffered a crush injury to his right index finger while attending a Dublin creche, has been awarded €20,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Barrister John Nolan told the court that Alex Orsi was almost two-years-old in April 2014 when his finger got caught in the hinge of a door at Giraffe Childcare creche, Charlemont Street.

The court heard that Alex’s finger was lacerated in the incident and had been bleeding. His nail had also been damaged.

Mr Nolan said Alex first attended his GP before being taken to Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin, where X-rays revealed no fracture to his finger.

Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke on Tuesday heard that Alex suffered a partial amputation to the pulp of his finger.

Alex, of Merlyn Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin, had been referred to the plastic surgery team at the hospital and had the next day undergone surgery under general anaesthetic.

Through his father Sebastian Orsi, a stock broker, Alex sued Giraffe Childcare, with a registered address at Adamstown Avenue, Castlegate, Adamstown, Lucan, Co Dublin, for negligence.

Mr Nolan, who appeared with Peter Morissey & Co solicitors, said the creche had admitted liability and had made a settlement offer of €20,000 damages which he recommended to the court.

Judge Groarke, hearing that Alex had made a full recovery and the wound had left a minor scar on his finger, approved the offer.