Courts

Nurse injured after being knocked off bicycle awarded over €39,000 in damages

Court hears Iwona Krzyspiak (53) trapped under car for a period after incident on grounds on Peamount Hospital

Iwona Krzyspiak (53) told Judge Sarah Berkeley she was shocked and screaming while trapped beneath the vehicle waiting to be freed. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

Ray Managh
Fri Jul 7 2023 - 12:59

A nurse who was pulled from underneath a car after being knocked off her bicycle has been awarded more than €39,000 in damages over the injuries she sustained, some of which continue to affect her work.

Iwona Krzyspiak (53), who works at Peamount Hospital in Newcastle, Co Dublin, told Judge Sarah Berkeley in the Circuit Civil Court that she was shocked and screaming while trapped beneath the vehicle waiting to be freed.

Barrister Conor Kearney, who appeared with Tracey Solicitors, for Ms Krzyspiak, of Neilstown Garden, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, told the court his client was cycling along the main avenue in the hospital grounds on her way to work in December 2020 when a car knocked her down.

Ms Krzyspiak told Judge Berkeley she injured her lower back, left leg, hands and her right hand dominant wrist. She said her back and leg injuries cleared up quite quickly but still suffers numbness in her wrist if having to perform lifting duties.

READ MORE

Less physical duties

She said she was off work for six weeks and could possibly have returned a little sooner but could not be accommodated with less physical duties. She was obliged to take some annual leave in order to fully rehabilitate after the incident.

Ms Krzyspiak said she was assisted by the driver of the car, Jacqueline Baker, of Wheatfield Road, Palmerstown, Dublin, whose insurer Aviva had accepted liability on her behalf. The case was heard as an assessment of damages.

Judge Berkeley said Ms Krzyspiak’s dominant injury was to her right wrist which was yet to undergo target injection therapy. She had undergone a number of medical investigations, including an MRI on her wrist.

The judge awarded Ms Krzyspiak €35,000 damages together with €4,265 special damages and costs.

LATEST STORIES