A Canadian tourist who fell down the stairs of a double- decker tourist bus in Dublin has sued in the High Court.
Susan Riches (63) claims the accident happened when the bus jerked after allegedly pulling in for St Patrick’s Cathedral.
The retired real estate administrator claimed she now suffers post-concussion syndrome and has regular migraines after she was propelled down the stairs, hitting her head, suffering cuts to her face and breaking a finger.
The court was told it was her case 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 have claimed the bus had not stopped at the cathedral but was stopped in traffic and had not reached the tour stop.
They said it was an unfortunate accident but claim that it was the tourist’s fault.
Ms Riches and her husband Patrick were in Dublin for the first time on the last leg of a transatlantic 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 on 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,” Ms Riches said.
“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.”
Ms Riches, of Olivers Road, Bobcaygeon, Ontario, has 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 there was a failure to have regard for the safety of passengers they ought to have known were disembarking from the bus.
There was also an alleged failure to warn the passengers the bus was going to be further moved as they disembarked.
The claims are denied. It is contended there was contributory negligence on the part of Ms Riches and she should have had regard for her own safety.
Ms Riches told the court the driver did not have bandages or a phone to call an ambulance but he helped take her off the bus.