No compo after manhole cover slip

A grandmother bringing her grandson to McDonald’s for a treat was seriously injured when she slipped on an ESB manhole cover, but yesterday she lost her claim for compensation at the High Court in Cork.

Mr Justice Kevin Cross dismissed the case taken by Catherine Lee of Dominic St, Cork, against the ESB. The judge noted the action had been taken initially against Cork City Council, but the ESB took on the defence.

The judge said: “The plaintiff is a very pleasant lady with five adult children and a number of grandchildren. On April 6, 2010, she was walking down Shandon St, a steep hill. She was in the company of her daughter and grandson with the intention of going to McDonald’s for a treat. It was dry at the time but it had been raining so the surface may have been damp. The plaintiff fell on an ESB cover and suffered very significant injuries, the consequences of which are with her still.”