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Boy who lost the tip of his finger in school accident settles case for €40,000

Boy who lost the tip of his finger in school accident settles case for €40,000

A schoolboy who lost the tip of one of his fingers when it became caught in a bathroom door at school two years ago has settled his High Court action for €40,000.

Conor Bissett, who was five years old at the time, suffered the amputation of the tip of his right little finger. The High Court heard the little boy had to have two surgeries and his little finger is permanently short. 

Conor Bissett now age seven, of Cnoc na Greine, Granard, Co Longford had through his mother Tanya Bissett sued St Colmcille’s National School, Augnacliffe, Co Longford as a result of the accident on May 22nd, 2019.

In an affidavit to the court, Conor’s mother Tanya Bissett said her son suffered a complete amputation at the tip of the little finger. The amputated part, she said, was placed in milk and transferred with him to hospital.

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On arrival at the Dublin hospital, the finger was noted to be very macerated and a grafting of the tip could not take place.

The boy was taken to theatre and the wound was thoroughly cleaned. Conor was discharged home, but he had to return to the dressing clinic several times afterwards. Ms Bissett said the finger had completely healed, but there was a problem with nail growth.

She said her son now has a two centimetre scar and while he has a full range of motion of the finger she said doctors believe his little right finger is permanently short.

Approving the settlement Mr Justice Garrett Simons said it was a very good one in all the circumstances of the case.

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The judge said the accident happened as the boy attended school and his hand got caught in the bathroom door.

At issue in the case was whether the bathroom door was too heavy and closed too quickly.

The judge noted the boy had full functionality of the finger.

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas from Pexels

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