Man settles €60,000 cruise trip claim

An 80-year-old Dublin man, who fell and fractured his leg while on a Mediterranean cruise, has settled a €60,000 damages claim against MSC Cruises Limited for an undisclosed sum.

In a claim before the Circuit Civil Court, Anthony Harris, of Dunard Walk, Navan Road, alleged he had just disembarked from the cruise liner Fantasia when he tripped and fell on a dangerous and uneven cobbled surface while walking towards Customs.

The accident had happened after the Fantasia berthed at Haifa, in Israel, on February 26th 2016. He had gone back on the cruise ship for treatment by the ship's doctor as he had not wanted to attend hospital abroad. His leg had been X-rayed and he had been prescribed a course of paracetamol.

When he had returned home he had been treated by Keith Synnott, consultant orthopaedic and spinal surgeon, for a fracture of his right leg,

Mr Harris and his wife had in September 2015 booked an 11-night €2000-plus cruise of the Greek Isles and Israel with Travel Escapes in Carrickmines.

Mr Harris sued MSC Cruises Limited, of Uxbridge, Englandfor breach of contract and for negligence as a consumer under the General Sale of Goods and Supply Services Act 1998.

Barrister Abdulla Morgan Kamber told Judge Terence O’Sullivan when the case was called that there were ongoing talks in the case and asked for time. Following negotiations with barrister Aaron Shearer, who appeared for MCS Cruises, Mr Morgan Kamber told the court the case had been settled.

Judge O’Sullivan adjourned the case for mention in four weeks to facilitate completion of the undisclosed settlement.

MSC Cruises is part of the Mediterranean Shipping company which has 17 cruise liners sailing the world’s oceans including three new shiops recently added to the fleet.