Courts / Kildare / Report
Father-of-two died after head crushed by meat-packing machine
Summary
In a tragic incident at Kildare Chilling Company on 14 May 2020, 54‑year‑old Binak Cokaj, an Albanian national, was inspecting a vacuum‑packing machine when it crushed his head, causing fatal skull fractures and brain injuries. His wife, Shkurte Cokaj, filed a personal injury claim under the Civil Liability Act on behalf of herself and their two 11‑year‑old twin children. The claim alleged negligence, breach of duty and breach of contract by Kildare Chilling Company, Momentum Capital Projects Ltd and Sealed Air Limited, the machine supplier. After mediation, the parties agreed to a €700 000 settlement, including €17.5 k earmarked for each child. The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice Paul Coffey, approved the settlement without admitting liability and approved costs incurred by the plaintiff. The judge described the case as "very tragic.".
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Father-of-two died after head crushed by meat-packing machine. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- May 14, 2020 Incident
- 2025-11-06 Publication
Case subjects
Applicant
Applicant
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Cromwell Road
Topics
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