Woman, 84, takes action over Connolly Station fall

A 82-year-old woman who fell on an escalator at Connolly Station, Dublin, when she got on it because the lift was out of order has brought a High Court action for damages.

Christina Flood, the High Court heard was being pushed in a wheelchair by her son and was on the way back from a trip to Howth when she fell at Connolly Station after her son helped her on the escalator.

The woman’s son, Paul Flood denied in court yesterday that as his mother — who suffered rib fractures and a collapsed lung — was waiting for an ambulance he was talking about personal injury solicitors.

The Irish Rail solicitor put it to him that the station master at Connolly Station would say in evidence he heard a discussion about personal injury solicitors.

Mr Flood replied: “I never said anything like that. That is wrong.”

Mrs Flood, now 84, of Foley St, Dublin, has sued Irish Rail through her son as a result of the fall on the escalator at Connolly Station on October 2 2012.

It is claimed Mrs Flood was left with no option but to attempt, with the help of her son, to use the escalator.

It is further claimed there was an alleged failure to provide Mrs Flood with a safe means of access and egress from the train station and that there has been a marked deterioration in the quality of Mrs Flood’s life along with her ability to socialise and mobilise since the accident.

Irish Rail deny all the claims and say the Flood should have seen the signs on electronic boards on the Dart line on the way into Connolly and that it was a reckless to use the escalator.

Mr Justice Bernard Barton was told that the lift had come back in operation about 15 minutes after Mrs Flood’s accident.

In evidence, Mr Flood said

there were no signs to say the lift was not working and if he knew, he would have continued to the next station.

He said his mother managed to get on the escalator and was halfway up when she fell down.

The case continues next Tuesday.