42-yr-old Sophie Caillaud was working the breakfast shift in the luxury Lough Rynn Hotel in Mohill, Leitrim in December 2007 when, all of a sudden, the jug she was filling with water “exploded” and ripped through her thumb.
The French woman lost a considerable amount of blood and thus had surgery and needed a splint to restructure her thumb, the High Court heard.
The waitress claims the incident had life-changing effects to her life and thus she can’t perform daily tasks she once took for granted.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross found Ms Caillaud suffered a serious injury and that the jug in question was unsuitable to use in the catering trade.
He subsequently awarded her €500,000 damages, including €195,000 special damages, including some €13,000 for an automatic car; €1,000 a year for a weekly €20 wash and blow dry at hairdressers and €39 every three months for hair colouring, and €2,000 a year was also included for six hours home help weekly.dent.