Former Miss Ireland Nuala Holloway, who injured her left ankle in a trip and fall at Superquinn shopping centre, Blackrock, Dublin five years ago, was awarded €12,000 damages yesterday in the Circuit Civil Court.
Ms Holloway Casey, of Rowanbyrn, Blackrock, told Judge Barry Hickson she still suffered intermittent pain from the injury, which had been exacerbated by a second fall in the same store in February 2009.
The 60-year-old mother of two, a former model, artist and language teacher at St Killian’s German School, Dublin, said that on December 21st 2007 her high heel had caught in a hole at the entrance to a descending travelator.
Barrister Paul Murray, who appeared for Ms Holloway Casey, said liability had been conceded by joint defendants Secret Retail Holdings, which trades as Superquinn, and Kine (Ireland) Limited, travelator and escalator fitters, Ballymount, Dublin.
Ms Holloway Casey told the hearing to assess damages that she had taken painkillers to get her through Christmas 2007 before visiting her doctor 10 days after the fall. She had suffered “dreadful pain” after the accident.