Court approves 'grossly inadequate' settlements
THE High Court has approved compensation settlements for the parents of two of five people who died in a horrific car accident -- despite a judge describing the amounts as "grossly inadequate".
Terence and Rosemarie Peoples, of The Woods, Buncrana, Co Donegal, are to get €110,000 arising from the death of their daughter Rochelle (22).
Samuel Ivan Steele, of Three Trees, Quigley's Point, Co Donegal, is to receive €73,000 for the death of his son David (23), who was Rochelle's boyfriend.
They were travelling with three other people in a car at Cross, Quigley's Point, on October 8, 2005 when another car veered onto their side of the road causing the fatal collision.
The driver of the other car, Brendan Henderson (50) of Seven Oaks, Waterside, Derry, was sentenced to four years imprisonment earlier this year after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.
The others who died were Gavin Duffy (21), the designated driver on the night for the other four in the car, Charlene O'Connor (21) and Darren Quinn (21), all of the Inishowen Peninsula, Co Donegal. It is understood separate legal proceedings are pending as a result of their deaths.
Admitted
Liability was admitted in the case. Declan McHugh, counsel for the Peoples and Steele families, told the court yesterday it was a very tragic case which happened at a time when Donegal was in the news for all the wrong reasons because there had been a spate of fatal road traffic accidents involving young people.
The accident received national prominence in the media and many had drawn the incorrect conclusion that these young people were killed as "another example" of those who had misbehaved with drink in the early hours of the morning.
This, counsel said, was not the case at all. He said these young people had a designated driver who was insured and was on the correct side of the road when an adult male veered over to the wrong side of the road and was now in a wheelchair.
The court heard Rochelle Peoples had worked in the US for a few years, but her father had prevailed on her to come home. Her boyfriend was David Steele and while they were not engaged it was moving in that direction.
Referring to the settlement, which was made under the Civil Liability Act for pain and suffering and loss of dependency, Mr Justice Quirke said it was a token figure because the State sets the sum in such cases.
In the circumstances he could simply rule in favour of the amount offered. He sympathised with the families involved and said the amount was "grossly inadequate".
- Tim Healy
