Food poisoning woman awarded €30,000

A bride-to-be, who suffered food poisoning after having eaten a chicken curry takeaway, has accepted a settlement of more than €30,000 from BQ House Restaurant, Upper Kennelsfort Road Upper, Palmerstown, Dublin.

Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Esmond Smyth, heard that 22-year-old Laura Cahill, a health and safety officer, of Kennelsfort Green, Palmerstown, still suffered from Post Infective Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Mr Ronan Dolan, counsel for Ms Cahill, outlining her claim to the court, said she had developed salmonella poisoning after consuming the chicken curry in August 1998. He said liability had been conceded by the restaurant.

He told the court Ms Cahill had spent 10 days in Cherry Orchard Hospital and after having been discharged was found to be suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.

Although she had recovered to some degree she still suffered from the syndrome and it was medically entirely uncertain how often the symptoms might be activated and recur.

Ms Cahill, who said she planned to marry next year, said her social, domestic and professional life had been affected by her condition which, medical reports revealed, recurrent bouts of crampy lower abdominal pain together with frequency and urgency of bowel pattern.

Mr Parnell Keeling, a consultant gastroenterologist, said it had not been established in medical practice for how long the condition would continue.

Expert studies could only predict frequency of symptoms out to three years after eradication but biochemical tests could not forecast a frequency of recurrence after that time.

He said the symptoms could be reactivated by stressful personal, domestic or professional situations.

“When it happens to a sufferer they have to get to a loo pronto and accidents do cause domestic and social embarrassment,” he said.

Following a lunch recess, Mr Dolan told Judge Smyth the case had been resolved and could be struck out with an order for taxation of the Ms Cahill’s legal costs. Although the settlement figure was not disclosed in court it is believed to be in excess of €30,000.