Child burned with bowl of soup at Airfield Estate awarded €41,000

A child who, when aged just six months, suffered superficial scald burns after he pulled a bowl of soup on top of himself at a south Dublin coffee shop has settled his High Court action for €41,000.

Otto Devine sustained superficial scald burns to his arms and legs, Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told.

The accident occurred when the baby, with his father and grandfather, was visiting the coffee shop at the Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin, on May 10th 2015.

His counsel Carl Hanahoe BL told the court soup and sandwiches were delivered directly to the table and the soup was allegedly placed in front of the infant who grabbed the bowl, spilling the liquid over himself.

Their case was that soup should not be delivered at a temperature which would burn and should not be placed on the table before a child.

Through his father Conor Devine, Otto, now aged five, of Abbeyfield, Milltown, Dublin, had sued the Airfield Estate as a result of the accident.

Liability was at issue in the case, the court heard.

The baby was taken by ambulance to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin where he was discovered to have partial thickness burns to both hands, his left leg and right foot. He was also noted to have a redness to the right side of his face, right hand and inside of his left elbow.

Three per cent of his body suffered burns and he was referred to the plastic surgery department where his wounds were cleaned and sterile dressings applied.

He was in hospital for eight days but, two days after admission, went into early toxic shock syndrome and developed a fever. His condition improved and he was discharged from hospital on May 18th 2015.

Mr Justice Cross was told the boy has been left with three areas of minor scarring. Approving the settlement, the judge said he was glad Otto had made a good recovery from a nasty injury. “He probably has no memory of the thing,” he added.