Woman settles action over fall in supermarket car park

A woman who slipped and fell in a supermarket car park on what she claimed were recently painted ground markings has settled her High Court action on undisclosed terms.

Mary Parnell (72), a mother of seven and grandmother, sued over an incident on November 29th, 2011, in which it was claimed she slipped on the ground lines painted yellow at what was then a Superquinn supermarket in Finglas, Dublin. She dislocated her right shoulder in the fall, it was claimed.

The pensioner, from Hillcrest Park, Glasnevin, Dublin, sued Superquinn Ltd, Limham Ltd which was responsible for carrying out works at the car park and Highway Markings Ltd, which painted the ground markings.

She alleged failure to warn her, by a sign or other notification, the ground of the car park was wet and slippery and there was a risk of slipping.

She further claimed failure to cordon off the area of the wet paint.

The defendants denied the claims and pleaded contributory negligence on the part of Mrs Parnell.

Sudden fall

In evidence, Mrs Parnell said she had gone to her local Superquinn to buy meat for dinner. It was a very wet day and, when walking from her car to the supermarket, she suddenly fell forward onto to her hands, she said.

She said she was carrying a handbag and umbrella and found it hard to get up.

During a later visit to Australia, she was unable to hold her grandchildren or swim in her son’s swimming pool, she said.

Mrs Parnell said her hands became tired when she was hanging clothes on the line.

Before the incident, she could swim 50 lengths of the public pool but could now only do 40, she said.

She said she slipped on the yellow lines and if there had been a sign saying wet paint she would not have walked in that part of the car park.

After talks between the sides, Mr Justice Michael Hanna was told the case had been settled and could be struck out.