Cyclist sues Council over ‘life-changing fall’

DUBLin city council is being sued in a multi-million euro claim by a man who says he suffered life-changing injuries when he fell off his electric bike as he travelled along a Dublin city centre cycle lane. The action is believed to be one of the first personal injuries claims before the High court in relation to injuries allegedly caused in an electric bike accident. all the claims are denied and full defences have been filed in the action. The man, who suffered a catastrophic brain injury, cannot be identified, the judge has ruled.

The man was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident three years ago. He claims his head struck a series of granite separators or bollards and he sustained catastrophic injuries. He has sued Dublin city council and the cycle lane designer, aEcom ireland Ltd, with registered offices at Lower Hatch Street, Dublin. aEcom has joined construction company clonmel Enterprises Ltd, of naas, co Kildare, which carried out work on the cycle lane as a third party to the proceedings. it is claimed the man sustained personal injuries, loss and damage due to the defendants’ negligence and breach of duty in the maintenance, design, upkeep and condition of the cycle track. an uneven raised kerb of between 60 to 70mm in height was allegedly permitted to be present at the location when, it is claimed, the defendants knew or ought to have known that a kerb of that height presents a hazard and a danger to cyclists using the cycle track. as a result of his injuries, it is claimed the man is unable to live independently, work or engage in his previous family and social activities. counsel for clonmel Enterprises told the court it was their case that clonmel did exactly as required by aEcom counsel for aEcom said the case was in relation to the height of the kerb and it was their case they had provided a detailed design on the matter. all the claims are denied. The case is listed to proceed in may at the High court.

The man was cycling on his electric bicycle when he was allegedly caused to fall due to the design and layout of the cycle track and a pedestrian plaza at the location.