Scarred woman secures €20k over sunbed fall

A 39-YEAR-OLD woman who fainted and fell after she had stand-up tanning sunbed treatment in a Chartbusterts video/sunbed outlet resulting in a scar to the centre of her forehead secured €20,000 in damages in the High Court yesterday.

The proceedings were taken by Doreen Keogan, an account assistant of Geraldine Street, Phibsboro, Dublin, against Chartbusters Limited with registered offices at Hillview House, Bracken Road, Sandyford Industrial Estate.

Ms Justice Maureen Clark was told that the case was for assessment only.

Aeden McGovern SC for Ms Keogan said the accident occurred on August 14, 2002, when she attended a Chartbuster sun bed facility in Drumcondra near where she worked.

She went into the cubicle, which was 8ft by 5ft, and the only ventilation was a vent into the ceiling.

When she completed her treatment she got out and in the process of getting dressed she felt weak and passed out, striking her head off a metal bin.

He said his client had received stitches and the scar was 3.1 centimetres.

Ms Justice Clark said that to do justice to both parties she accepted that it was not a particularly bad scar but on the other hand it was a long scar and she assessed damages at €20,000.