In a settlement, high among children’s bicycle accident claims, a six year old boy, who was accidentally knocked from his bike by a neighbour, has had a compensation award of £73,000 approved in the High Court.
Cian Ryan was riding his bike along the road outside the home of his neighbour – Ms Kishwar Shafqat – in April 2009. Ms Shafqat accidentally knocked Cian off his bicycle while reversing her car out of her drive, causing him to sustain terrible injuries to his leg.
In a case brought through Cian’s father, Eric, it was alleged that Ms Shafqat was negligent in how she had failed to keep a proper lookout as she was manoeuvring. There was no denial of liability and the case had been brought before Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns for assessment of damages.
Before approving the compensation payment, the judge heard that Cian currently walks with a limp due to the accident and had suffered recurring nightmares about the event. Discovering that Cian was a Manchester United fan, the judge made it an additional condition of the settlement that £836 was set aside so that Cian and his family could visit Old Trafford to watch his favourite team in action.