A Galway man is suing after he says he hit a pothole and crashed over his handlebars and suffered serious injury (File photo)
A cyclist who says he hit a recessed manhole cover in the road with potholes around it is suing Galway County Council for damages.
Nathan King was a 16-year-old schoolboy at the time of the incidence in March, 2012, and was cycling home from hurling training when he hit “something” in the road.
He told the High Court he could recall falling but nothing else until he woke him in hospital.
Now aged 21 years and from Baile an Choiste, Castlegar, Co Galway, he is suing the council over the condition of the road at Parkmore Hill.
He says he hit a hole in the road created by a recessed manhole. He suffered a brain haemorrhage, was in a coma and required hospital treatment several weeks in hospital. The Galway man also fractured his thumb in the crash.
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He argues, through his lawyers, the council failed to insert a cover so road users would not hit the hole and also says the council failed to cordon off the area where he says a dangerous road surface caused him to crash.
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The court was told he as an honours student before the crash and had hoped to pursue a career in the Army, which was not possible now.
Instead, since the crash “everything is a struggle, everything is difficult, everything is a challenge”.
The council has denied the claim and says Mr King was going too fast, could not see where he was cycling and was not wearing a helmet.
It also says because the hurley was being carried across Mr King’s handlebars he was responsible for the crash.
He was cycling home from hurling training in the dark at about 9.30pm and accepted he had no lights, was not wearing a helmet and had his hurl taped across his handlebars.
He accepted while there was a cycle lane, he was not on it though had used it earlier.
Garda Sheena Gill said she was at the scene of the incident and saw a manhole cover with potholes to the side of it. She also noted a skid mark from the manhole and saw what she believed was skin and hair on it.
Garda Gill said she had heard locally that the council had sent workers to the scene the following day to fix the pothole. The case continues.
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