A woman who hurt her back while lifting a drum of washing powder at St Michael's Hospital, Dun Laoghaire, has been awarded over £16,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court. Ms Dolores O'Sullivan, of Glenageary Lodge, Glenageary, Co Dublin, told her counsel, Mr Noel McCarthy, she worked in the hospital but had never received training in how to lift heavy items. Mr McCarthy told the court that while his client was lifting the container it fell and she jerked her back.
Judge Patrick McCartan awarded Ms O'Sullivan £18,000 damages but reduced the amount by a third on the basis of contributory negligence and then awarded Ms O'Sullivan just over £4,000 special damages.