Courts / Kerry / Report
Motorcyclist awarded reduced damages of €122k over collision at Co Kerry junction
Summary
In a High Court decision on 17 January 2025, James Thomas Maher, a motorcyclist, was awarded €122,000 in reduced damages for a collision at a Co Kerry junction that left him with complete amnesia. The collision, which occurred on 1 August 2017 between Maher's Suzuki Bandit and a Ford Transit van driven by Keith Moriarty, was deemed to have been caused by equal fault. The judge found that while Moriarty was likely cutting the corner, Maher also contributed by failing to stop at the junction's stop sign. The court awarded general damages of €232,500, reduced by 50% for contributory negligence, and special damages of €11,823, totaling €122,000. The van's owner, Patrick Moriarty, was awarded costs for a counterclaim. The decision was based on evidence of both parties' negligence and the resulting injuries to Maher, including head injury, amnesia, wrist fractures, and soft‑tissue damage. The judgment was delivered by Mr Justice Liam Kennedy.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Motorcyclist awarded reduced damages of €122k over collision at Co Kerry junction. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- August 1, 2017 Incident
- September 2020 Other
- 2025-01-17 Publication
Why: Mr Justice Kennedy said this was "of importance because his van ended up entirely on the wrong side of Langford Street", leading to a suggestion that the defendant was "cutting the corner". CNI source report
Places mentioned
- The High Court
- Glenbeigh
- Langford Street
- Langford Street
- Killorglin
- Farrantoreen Road
Topics
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