Tennis player who cut ankle on shower door awarded €21,000

A 16-year-old tennis player whose game has been affected by an injury to her left ankle caused by a shower door at a gym, has been awarded €21,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court.

Barrister Michael Morrissey told the court that Julie Melnic Jolnerovici, a former number one under-14 national player, cut her ankle while coming out of the shower cubicle at Crunch Fitness Gym, Westmanstown, Clonsilla, Dublin.

Mr Morrissey said that after the wound started to bleed heavily a staff member applied a bandage and she later attended her GP. The court heard her injury had left two scars on her ankle.

Through her mother Irina Jolnerovici, of Anfield Drive, Castleknock, Dublin, Julie sued Crunch Fitness Premier Ltd for negligence. Her mother told the court in a sworn affidavit that her daughter had injured her left ankle on a jagged edge to the shower door.

Ms Jolnerovici said Julie’s ankle had been painful for a number of weeks which had caused her to limp. A consultant plastic surgeon in St James’ Hospital in Dublin had examined two permanent and somewhat discoloured scars, both of which measured two inches. Plastic surgery had not been recommended.

Settlement offer

Mr Morrissey said Crunch Fitness Gym had made a €21,000 settlement offer and he recommended acceptance of it to the court. Circuit Court President Mr Justice Raymond Groarke approved the offer.

Counsel said that after the accident Julie had not been able to use her ankle to its full strength and had needed to take time out from her sport. She had missed a number of important tennis competitions.

Mr Morrissey said Julie had been ranked number one at the time of the incident but had now dropped to number nine because of her injury.

Judge Groarke was told that Julie was taking her sport very seriously and was hopeful to regain the Number 1 ranking. He allowed an immediate payment out of €500 to her to be used for a tennis tournament in Mullingar later this year.