Schoolboy awarded €20,000.00 when glass door in gym shattered

A 7 year old schoolboy who suffered multiple cuts to his body after a glass shower door shattered on him, has been awarded €20,000 in damages by the Circuit Civil Court in a case against a fitness club.

Counsel for the schoolboy told the court the incident happened in September 2014 after Finn Daniel Ennis had a swimming lesson at Energie Fitness, Nutgrove, Dublin.

Douglas said that when Finn, who was in the shower in the gym changing room area, pushed the shower door, the glass shattered over him, cutting his shoulder, shin and feet.

Circuit Court President Justice Raymond Groarke was told that Finn’s mother Sallie Ennis, after hearing a scream and a commotion, entered the shower area and found her son bleeding profusely, with shards of glass covering his body.

Ennis took her son into another shower cubicle to rinse away the blood and remove some of the shards. Finn was then taken to the emergency department of Tallaght Hospital, where the cuts were stitched.

The court heard that Finn had a problem sleeping for several weeks after the incident.

Through his mother Sallie – a teacher of Kingston Heights, Ballinteer – Finn sued Prime Fitness Ltd, which trades as Energie Fitness, for negligence.  The Court were advised that said the defendant had made a €20,000 settlement offer, which was recommended to the court by counsel on behalf of the infant.  

Judge Groarke, hearing that the cuts had left scars on Finn’s right foot and ankle, approved the offer.