A court has ordered the Siggiewi Local Council to pay €74,873 in damages to Cem Kofoglu, a motorcyclist who suffered a permanent disability after hitting a pothole on a poorly maintained road in 2020.

In a ruling delivered by Judge Toni Abela found the council solely responsible for the state of disrepair on Triq Ghar Lapsi, describing the road as an "emergency matter" and an "evident traffic hazard."

The court heard how Kofoglu lost control of his motorbike and crashed on 2 May 2020 due to potholes, cracks, and a sudden drop in the tarmac.

Kofoglu suffered serious injuries that left him with a 10% permanent disability, according to a medical referee appointed by the court. Future complications, including arthritis and risks linked to metal implants, were also flagged.

While both the Siggiewi Local Council and Infrastructure Malta were initially named in the lawsuit, the court found that the local council alone bore responsibility for road upkeep under Maltese law.

Abela said the accident exposed a failure in the council's monitoring systems, noting that proper repairs were only made after the crash.

The awarded sum includes €237 in medical expenses, a calculated loss of future earnings (lucrum cessans) adjusted for the plaintiff's net income and disability, and an additional €3,000 for diminished quality of life-a component the court described as an "unseen loss" that can't be fully addressed through mathematical formulas.

The local council was also ordered to pay interest on the damages from the date of the decision and cover all court costs.