Paralysed woman faces wait for holiday accident claim result
A woman who has been paralysed for life is awaiting the outcome of her holiday accident claim.
The victim, 41, suffered a horrific crash on a snowmobile while holidaying in the Italian ski resort of Passo Tonale; leaving her with devastating spinal injuries.
Not long after the incident, she began a claim against the holiday company, for failing to provide her with adequate training to ride the vehicle safely.
She crashed after she was unable to stop the high-powered ski-doo vehicle. However, she had not been informed by the instructor that there was an emergency stop button to cut off the power.
The ex-fitness instructor is now paralysed from the chest down and faces the prospect of the rest of her life confined to a wheelchair.
Although the local instructor owned and operated the ski-doos at the resort; the accident claim was made against the holiday company as he was acting as an agent for them.
The personal injury lawyer representing her said: “The function of the switch was not obvious. [She] was an absolute beginner on a ski-doo. The failure to instruct her in the use of the button was a negligent breach of duty.”
The claimant now has to wait for the judge's hearing, to make a final decision on whether a compensation claim will be awarded.
Updated on 03/02/2010