Pensioner awarded €18,000 for scalding on Ryanair
A 72-YEAR-OLD woman who was scalded on a Ryanair flight between London and Dublin has been awarded €18,000 damages against the airline.
A Ryanair flight steward spilled a cup of boiling hot tea over Mary Kavanagh's left breast, Judge Alison Lindsay was told.
Timothy Sheehan, counsel for Mrs Kavanagh, who lives in Townsend Street, Dublin, told the Circuit Civil Court she had been left with a disfiguring scar as a result. Ms Kavanagh said she had been on a flight in December 2005 when a steward serving hot drinks from a trolley spilled the tea over her.
"The tea scalded me and left burn marks. It was very painful at the time and I was sore for weeks afterwards," she said.
She said she had come out in blisters afterwards and had to attend her doctor for up to five weeks for dressings.
A steward had given her cream to soothe the burns on the flight back to Dublin, she said. During the whole of Christmas 2005 she was unable to leave her home because she could not wear any clothing over the wound.
She said she still suffered some pain when washing and drying herself.
Mr Sheehan said Ms Kavanagh was very active and continued to swim twice a week. She found the scarring embarrassing.
Judge Lindsay said the scald wounds had been slow to heal and, since Ryanair had conceded liability in the case, she assessed the damages at €18,000.
- Ray Managh
