Shu Zhang, a 36-year-old woman who suffered a severe head injury when she was struck by a bus as she was crossing a street when the red light was displaying for pedestrians, has agreed to a personal injury compensation settlement of €250,000 in the High Court.
Ms Zhang, who can walk now but needs full time care, suffered the brain injury when a Bus Eireann bus struck her at Aston Quay Dublin in 2004. She took the legal action through her aunt Shao Ze.
She was knocked unconscious after she was flung in the air and landed on the ground near the back wheels of the bus. Following the incident Ms Zhang was in a coma for around eight or nine days.
Ms Zhang alleged that the driver made no effort to avoid the collision and also that the bus was being driven without any adequate regard for the presence and position of other vehicles or pedestrians. These were allegations that Bus Eireann denied.
Bus Eireann argued that the claimant walked out from the crowd suddenly and into the path of the bus despite the pedestrian light at the Aston Quay crossing being red.
Jerry Healy SC said Ms Zhang was 22 years of age when the accident occurred. He said another man who had crossed the road before the student made it across ahead of her when he heard the impact. Ms Zhang had come to Ireland in 2003 and was a student and a part time care assistant.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross explained to her family, who travelled from China to care for their daughter after the accident, that had the case gone to trial she may have lost and she could end up with nothing at all.
A number of eyewitnesses said that they had viewed the woman push her way past bystanders before stepping out onto the road. The Judge told Ms Zhang’s family that the eyewitnesses were prepared to testify and their possible evidence suggested that the claimant could lose the case.
