A SCHOOL CLEANER WHO LOST THE JOB SHE LOVED AS A

A SCHOOL CLEANER WHO LOST THE JOB SHE LOVED AS A RESULT
OF AN ACCIDENT, HAS BEEN AWARDED ALMOST #25,000 BY A HIGH COURT
JUDGE.

MRS.

MURIEL MECHAM, 50, OF DOMINION ROAD, WORTHING, WEST SUSSEX,

FRACTURED HER FOOT IN THE ACCIDENT AT BARCLAYS BANK IN CHAPEL ROAD,

WORTHING, IN MAY 1984 WHEN A PENSIONER FELL ON TOP OF HER ON AN

ESCALATOR.

SHE STILL WALKS WITH THE AID OF A STICK AND HAS A
PRONOUNCED LIMP.

AN ACTIVE WOMAN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, MRS MECHAM HAD ENJOYED
CYCLING, WALKING AND GARDENING BUT HAS HAD TO GIVE THEM UP, THE
COURT HEARD ON THURSDAY.

MR.

JUSTICE LEONARD SAID 75-YEAR-OLD MR.

GORDON SADDINGTON OF

SOUTH FARM ROAD, WORTHING, WAS GOING UP THE BANK ESCALATOR ABOUT

FOUR STEPS AHEAD OF MRS.

MECHAM WHEN HE SUDDENLY TOPPLED BACK ON

HER.

MR.

SADDINGTON WAS NOT INJURED.

MRS.

MECHAM, WHO WAS SUING MR SADDINGTON HAD TOLD THE COURT THAT

AFTER THE ACCIDENT MR.

SADDINGTON REPEATEDLY APOLOGISED TO HER.

HE

CONFESSED HE HAD LOST
HIS BALANCE AND COULD NOT GRIP THE HANDRAIL BECAUSE HE WAS
HOLDING ON WITH HIS ARTIFICIAL ARM.

MR.

SADDINGTON WHO HAD DENIED LIABILITY WAS NOT WELL ENOUGH TO
ATTEND COURT, BUT A STATEMENT WAS READ ON HIS BEHALF.

IN IT HE CLAIMED HE HAD SUDDENLY HAD A DIZZY SPELL MID-WAY UP THE

ESCALATORS AND FALLEN.

HE MAINTAINED HE HAD BEEN HOLDING
SECURELY ONTO THE RAIL.

THE JUDGE ACCEPTED MRS.

MECHAM’S EVIDENCE AND SAID: ‘A MAN IN
HIS 70’S NOT SECURELY HOLDING THE HAND RAIL COUNTS AS A BREACH OF

DUTY OF CARE’.

MRS.

MECHAM SAID THAT SINCE THE ACCIDENT SHE NEEDED THE HELP

OF HER HUSBAND AND DAUGHTER AROUND THE HOUSE AS SHE WAS IN TOO MUCH

PAIN TO DO HOUSEHOLD TASKS FOR VERY LONG.

SHE CANNOT RETURN TO HER PART-TIME CLEANING JOB AT ST.

ANDREW’S

PRIMARY SCHOOL IN WORTHING.

‘SHE HAS SUFFERED CONSIDERABLE PAIN AND HER FOOT IS
PAINFUL, EVEN WHEN SITTING,’ SAID THE JUDGE.

HE CONTINUED: ‘SHE CAN’T WALK FOR PLEASURE ANY MORE OVER THE
DOWNS AND CAN’T CYCLE TO THE SHOPS.

‘
MRS.

MECHAM HAD TOLD THE COURT: ‘I HAVE HAD TO LEARN TO DRIVE
SINCE THE ACCIDENT AS MY CONDITION IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE.

I

NEEDED TO KEEP MY INDEPENDENCE.

‘
MEDICAL EVIDENCE HAD BEEN DISPUTED, BUT THE JUDGE SAID THERE

WAS A FIFTY FIFTY CHANCE SHE WOULD NEED A FURTHER

OPERATION.

SHE RECEIVED #24,859 DAMAGES WITH #730 INTEREST FOR PAIN, LOSS
AND SUFFERING, LOSS TO DATE AND CONTINUING LOSS OF EARNINGS, CARE IN
THE FUTURE, CAR COSTS AND FUTURE MEDICAL TREATMENT.

ENDS