A 36-YEAR-OLD woman claimed in the Circuit Civil Court today she had to delay trying to start a family because of a needle stick injury as doctors advised her not to have unprotected sex for six months.
Adina Denisa Cozan settled a €38,000 claim for damages against her employers Sunshine Professional Cleaning Services Ltd and Thunders Bakery Ltd, owner of Thunders Bakery in Phibsboro, Dublin, where the incident occurred.
Cozan, of Portobello Harbour, Dublin, claimed that in September 2013, she had reached up to clean a windowsill in an office when her left middle finger was pricked by a needle.
She had been taken to the Mater Hospital in Dublin where she received needle stick injury treatment. She had needed to come back several times and had been worried she could have contracted AIDS until final blood tests revealed she had not been infected.
Cozan claimed she had felt angry and frustrated because at the time she had been hoping to become pregnant, but had to delay trying for a child after being advised by doctors not to have unprotected sex for six months.
She claimed she was left traumatised by the injury and later developed anxiety and stress. She had suffered pain, distress and discomfort and her social and domestic life had been disrupted.
Both Sunshine Professional Cleaning Services Ltd, with a registered address at Castlekealy Lawns, Daingan, Co Offaly and Thunders Bakery Ltd, with a registered office at New Inn, Enfield, Co Meath, had entered a full defence to Cozan’s claim, denying liability and alleging she had been guilty of contributory negligence.
Barrister Conor Kearney, for Cozan, told Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke that his client’s claim had settled.
Judge Groarke struck out the case against both defendants and awarded Cozan her legal costs. Details of the settlement were not disclosed in court.
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