Canadian tourist settles case over Dublin tour bus fall
A Canadian tourist who fell down the stairs of a double-decker tourist bus in Dublin when she claims it jerked after allegedly pulling in for St Patrick’s Cathedral has settled her High Court action.
Retired real estate administrator Susan Riches claimed she now suffers post-concussion syndrome and has regular migraines after she was propelled down the stairs, hitting her head, suffering lacerations to her face and breaking a finger.
On the second day of the case today, Mr Justice Bernard Barton was told the case had been settled and could be struck out.
The judge, noting the settlement wished the tourist and her husband a safe trip back to Canada.
It was the 63-year old tourist’s case that she was thrown headlong down the stairs. She was later diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and she suffered nightmares and flashbacks and she now says she has a significant fear of stairs and escalators.
The bus operators and owners claimed the bus had not stopped at the Cathedral but was stopped in traffic and had not reached the tour stop. They contended it was an unfortunate accident but it was the tourist’s fault.
Mrs Riches and her husband Patrick were in Dublin for the first time on the last leg of a Trans Atlantic cruise which had started in Miami and had taken in The Azores and Irish ports.
She told the court they docked in Dublin and got a Hop-On, Hop-Off tourist bus on April 30, 2018.
“At St Patrick’s Cathedral, I headed for the stairs. I took a step and the bus turned and jerked and I flew through the air,” she said.
She added: “ I felt the bus turned. It propelled me forward. I hit my face. I ended up on the floor of the bus. I felt in shock and I was bleeding. “
Susan Riches (63) Oliver’s Road, Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada had sued the owners and operators of the tourist bus, Last Bus Ltd and Citi Bus Ltd both with offices at Moorhill House, Brannockstown, Co Kildare and Park Fly Ltd and Dockstop Ltd, both with offices at South Bank House, Barrow Street, Dublin.
She claimed the bus allegedly suddenly and without warning moved, jerked or jolted violently and she fell down the stairs.
She claimed there was an alleged failure to have regard for the safety of passengers they ought to have known were disembarking from the bus. She further claimed there was an alleged failure to warn the passengers the bus was going to be further moved as they disembarked.
The claims were denied and it was contended there was contributory negligence on the part of Mrs Riches and that she should have had regard for her own safety.
In evidence, Mrs Riches said the driver did not have bandages or a phone to call an ambulance but he helped take her off the bus.
A Romanian nurse she said called an ambulance and she was brought to hospital. She said she was in hospital about 13 hours until the early hours and they later that day got a flight home.
