Judge: Anxiety is not enough to be awarded damages

A Clare woman, who claimed she had developed a fear of road and car park barriers since her car was hit by one, was told yesterday that she could not be awarded damages just for anxiety.

A personal injuries claim for up to €60,000 damages against Aldi was dismissed by Judge Terence O’Sullivan who said in the Circuit Civil Court that he found Martina Fitzpatrick, aged 52, of Toormore, Ruan, Ennis, accurate and honest about a claim she unfortunately had been unable to stand up in court.

Ms Fitzpatrick had told the court that in December 2015 she was dropping a friend of her daughter at an Aldi carpark in Gort, Co Galway, when the entrance barrier came down on the roof, windscreen and bonnet of her car, which had since been repaired by the supermarket.