This article is from page 74 of the 2008-11-11 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 74 JPG
THE family of a Polish man who died as a result of a road accident three years ago – while working in Shannon – has secured €500,000 in damages in the High Court.
Damian Zimowski (27), an alarm technician with Active Technology in Shannon, died as aresult of an incident on September 10, 2005. He lost his life
hours after the accident in which steel rods protruding from the back of a lorry pierced into his van. He became impaled in the upper body.
The case was taken by his widow Agnieszka against Foley Contract- ing of Milltown, Askeaton, Limerick – owners of the lorry – and Brian Mc- Mahon, Ballynoe, Castlemahon, Lim- erick, who was the lorry driver.
The offer was made to the plaintiff
on the third day of the hearing before Mr Justice John Quirke at the High Court last Thursday.
Liability had been fully contested, until an engineer for the plaintiff gave evidence in court. A satisfactory offer was then made by the defendants.
Solicitor for Ms Zimowski, Gear- oid Howard – partner with Crimmins Howard solicitors in Shannon – said the case was tragic and his client was
relieved it was all over.
“Tt is a huge relief that the case has fi- nally been settled. It was a tragic acci- dent. He had come to Ireland to make a new life for himself and his family,’ he said.
Mr Howard paid tribute to the late Mr Zimowski’s employer Ultan McAvinue at Active Technology in Shannon.
“Damian sold his family car to fi-
nance his trip to Ireland. At the time he was killed, his family didn’t have the money to pay for his funeral or fly his body back to Poland. Mr McAv- inue paid for the funeral and for his body to be flown home,” said Mr Howard.
‘His employers were hugely support- ive of his widow and his child. They did everything they possibly could to help at this difficult time,” he said.