A man who was injured in an ambulance while being taken to hospital has been awarded €27,000 in damages by the Circuit Court.

The court was told that the man had been mountain biking down a hill in Bray, County Wicklow, when he fell head first off his bike, hit his head and lost consciousness temporarily. He suffered head injuries however he managed to make his way down the hill with his bike and met a woman who called the ambulance.

When the ambulance arrived, the man claimed he felt no pain in his neck or back. The man was initially assessed by the paramedics in the ambulance and was then placed on a stretcher bed in the ambulance. He claimed that he was not wearing a neck collar but that his head was isolated by head blocks. The ambulance left the scene to bring him to St. Vincent’s hospital however the ambulance was caused to stop suddenly to avoid a crash with an unidentified driver. The court heard that the man was thrown forward and he claimed he hit his head off a partition in the ambulance.

The man took a personal injury* claim against the HSE and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland for the neck and back soft tissue injuries he claimed he suffered as a result of the crash. When the matter came before Judge Alan Mahon of the Circuit Court, he was informed that liability was admitted and that it was before him for assessment of damages only.

Judge Mahon commented that the stop had been very violent and had caused the man’s injuries and awarded him €27,700 in damages.

*In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.