Man says he suffered serious injuries when turkey fell on his head

A man claimed at the High Court yesterday that he sustained serious neck and shoulder injuries when a dead turkey weighing 1820…

A man claimed at the High Court yesterday that he sustained serious neck and shoulder injuries when a dead turkey weighing 1820 lb. fell on his head while he was working at a Co Monaghan turkey farm.

Mr Jason McArdle (31), Fairview Drive, Killygoan, Co Monaghan, said the accident at the premises of Grove Farm turkeys, Smithboro happened during the busy Christmas season in 1994.

While he was working on December 19th, 1994, he went to the chill room where there was a line of turkeys overhead, about 14 or 15 feet. A turkey dislodged from the line and fell on his head.

He fell to the ground. Other workers came to his aid and he was taken to the canteen. The foreman told him to go to the safety officer, who told him to go to the doctor. He saw his GP who told him to go straight to Monaghan General Hospital.

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He said he felt in shock. His body was shaking and he felt pain around his head, back of neck and shoulder.

Mr John Fitzgerald SC, instructed by Mr Joseph Smith, for Mr McArdle, said the action against Kerry Group plc was an assessment of damages only. Grove Farm turkeys was part of the Kerry Group, counsel said.

He said the accident caused significant and very disabling injuries. Mr McArdle was in hospital for about a week afterwards and continued to experience pain. His head was bent to the left and his left shoulder was hunched up.

Mr McArdle had made repeated visits to several doctors and physiotherapists but he still had constant pain in his neck. A doctor told him he would be unable to return to work and he had been assessed disabled by the authorities. There had been no improvement in his position and doctors saw no possibility of improvement, counsel added.

Mr Fitzgerald said his client was married with two young children. He was working as a general operative at the time of the accident and had worked at Grove Farm from 1989-94. Because of his condition, his prospects for future employment were nil.

Mr Sean Moylan SC, for Kerry Group, produced photographs to Mr McArdle and said the defendants had evidence the plaintiff had carried his children to the car, went shopping and did maintenance work to his house.

Mr McArdle said he had never denied he took his children or went shopping but said there had been no proper maintenance of his house for years. He denied he was exaggerating his injuries.

The hearing continues today.