Over €8m awarded to injured minors

Children aged between three and seven are three times more likely to have accidents resulting in personal injury claims than infants aged three or less, according to a study by the Injuries Board.

The report found children in the 3-7 age group accounted for over a quarter (25.3 per cent) of all awards to minors last year, seven to 10 year-olds were the second highest group at 21.5 per cent while those in the 0-3 age group made up 7.5 per cent.

Childhood accidents were also twice as likely to occur during April and August than in December, the study show, making them the most dangerous and safest months respectively. Motor related accidents accounted for nearly for times as many injuries as public liability, 79 per cent compared to 21 per cent.

On a county by county breakdown, Dublin topped the list with 23 per cent of awards nationally followed by Cork at 11 per cent. No awards were made to minors in Leitrim.

Overall last year compensation totalling €8.5 million was awarded to 615 children under the age of 18 with the payouts ranging from €500 to more than €170,000.

Coinciding with the release of the data, Patricia Byron chief executive of injuriesboard.ie announced it is to sponsor the upcoming Temple Street Hospital fund raising campaign.

Ms Byron said by teaming up with the hospital injuriesboard.ie aims to promote the supports and guidance available from the claims assessment process and to support Temple Street’s ongoing research into the causes of childhood injuries.

Professor Alf Nicholson of Temple Street said in Europe more children over the age of one die of injuries than all other diseases combined.

He said: “For every child that dies from an injury, 160 are admitted to hospital and over 2,000 are seen in the emergency department - deaths are just the tip of the iceberg.”

“We are very encouraged at the actions being taken by the Injuries Board to ease the trauma of accident claims for minors and their parents,” he added.