A woman, whose holiday in Italy was ruined when a sun longer collapse beneath her has been awarded 38,000 Euros in compensation for holiday sun lounger accident at the Circuit Civil Court.
Mary Lee (74) from Navan, County Meath, was on a week´s holiday at the four-star Hotel Galeazzi in Brescia, when the sun lounger on which she was sitting collapsed beneath her – causing her to strike her head on the concrete floor beside the pool.
As Mary started to feel dizzy and disorientated, she was taken to the local hospital where she was diagnosed with a severe soft tissue injury to the back of her head and neck. Although Mary was prescribed strong painkillers, the pains in her arms, back and legs prevented her from leaving her hotel room for the remainder of the holiday.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane at the Circuit Civil Court heard that on her return to Navan, Mary consulted her family doctor and, despite being prescribed more painkillers, continued to experience pains which prevented her from pursuing a “normal” life.
After seeking legal advice, Mary made a claim for compensation for holiday sun lounger accident against the travel company through whom the holiday had been booked – The Travel Department of Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin.
The Travel Department denied liability for Mary´s injuries and sought to have the owners of the hotel brought into proceedings as third-party defendants. However Judge Linnane found against the travel agency and, although ruling that The Travel Department should be indemnified by the hotel for the settlement, awarded Mary 38,000 Euros compensation for holiday sun lounger accident.