A drama student who hit her head on a stage as she took directions during rehearsals for ‘Macbeth’ has settled a €60,000 claim for damages.
Frances Winston (45), of Elgin Road, Ballsbridge, Co Dublin, said she had been studying a drama course at Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) when she was involved in the accident on April 27, 2012.
She claimed she had been on stage taking part in a scene when her supervisor had instructed her to take a step back. When she did so, she had fallen over, striking her head on a raised platform behind her.
In her personal injuries claim, Ms Winston sued Brian Forbes, a nominee of DIT, claiming she had suffered a bruise to her head in the fall and a second bruise to her cervical spine.
She had attended the emergency department of St Vincent’s University Hospital where she had been prescribed painkillers and muscle relaxants, she said.
A medical report noted that Ms Winston had been reviewed on August 21, 2012, and it had been noted she had a tingling sensation to her right shoulder and arm.
This sensation had occurred three to four times a week and had tended to wake her from her sleep.
She claimed that DIT had been negligent and failed in its duty to ensure she had not suffered any injury while carrying out her studies.
Barrister Mark O’Connell, who appeared with Canal Quarter Solicitors for DIT, told Judge James O’Donohoe before any evidence was called in the case that there had been talks and her case had been settled.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed to the court and Mr O’Connell asked that the case be struck out.
Ms Winston previously appeared in Dublin’s District Court last month where she pleaded guilty to harassment of a BBC children’s television presenter. She received an eight-month suspended jail sentence. The district court had heard that Ms Winston threatened, via social media, to send drug dealers to the home of Ferne Corrigan.