Fashion designer lost career after injuring elbow in fall

A leading figure in Irish fashion design who has lost her cherished career after she tripped on a broken concrete surface injuring her elbow yesterday launched a High Court action for damages.

Patricia Keilthy, joint head of the fashion department at Limerick School of Art and Design, has not worked since 2009, the High Court heard.

Now Mr Justice Michael White has been asked to assess the damages to award Ms Keilthy.

Ms Keilthy, aged 58, from Meadowbrook, Castleconnell, Co Limerick, has sued her employer Limerick Institute of Technology over injuries she sustained in the fall, and St John’s Hospital, Limerick, over the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of her injury in June 2009.

Liability has been conceded in the case.

Senior counsel Dr John O’Mahony with Cian O’Mahony BL said on June 9, 2009, Ms Keilthy was at the school when she tripped and fell on a “dangerous and defective” broken concrete surface.

Ms Keilthy attended the emergency department of St John’s Hospital. Counsel said a soft tissue injury was diagnosed but she had a very nasty fracture of the elbow. Counsel said Ms Keilthy was not told to follow through on the injury.

However, she suffered a lot of pain and went to her GP. At the end of July, an MRI scan identified a very bad fracture of the elbow.

Ms Keilthy has lodged a substantial claim, including loss of earnings to date of over €230,000, he said.

The case continues.