Boy settles action over finger injury for €55,000

Zach Zheng later lost the tip of his left index finger after suffering a crush injury in the fall which happened when he was aged seven, his counsel Michael Byrne SC said. 

 

The boy was leaving St Louis High School, Rathmines, Dublin, where he had attended Chinese classes, when the accident happened in 2015. 

 

Mr Byrne said the boy walked across the bike rack and fell and the bike rack came down on him, hurting his finger. 

 

The boy suffered a very nasty injury and had surgery in hospital but they could not save the top of the finger, counsel said. 

 

Now aged 12, the child, of Bellarmine Hall, Stepaside, Dublin, had, through his mother Lisa Xiao, sued Aihua Chinese School Ltd with offices at Dún Laoghaire, Dublin and the board of management of St Louis High School, Charleville Road, Rathmines, as a result of the accident. 

 

It was claimed there was failure to ensure the premises was safe and suitable for children and, either by way of examination or testing, to ensure the bicycle rack was secure and safe and fixed in place using concrete. 

 

The claims were denied. 

 

Counsel said the boy has adapted well and uses his middle finger for some tasks instead of his index finger. The family were happy with the settlement, he added.