A Wexford woman, who had been awarded €10,000 in a civil action over an "exploding sausage", told the High Court on circuit in Wexford during an appeal hearing of the distress caused as a result of the accident.
However, the food company involved, Drover Meats Ltd, Industrial Estate, Wexford town, was successful in its appeal yesterday against the decision of Wexford Circuit Court in awarding the woman damages, claiming that it could not be held responsible for a freak accident.
Wexford Circuit Court on November 29th last in a civil action brought by Kathleen Howlin, Murrintown, Wexford, against Drover Meats Ltd, Industrial Estate, Wexford, had heard how the sausage exploded into her face while cooking in her kitchen, causing her much distress. The court heard the incident happened in her home on June 8th, 1999.
Mrs Howlin told the appeal hearing that she had decided to cook sausages on the evening in question having purchased them in her local supermarket.
Mrs Howlin said that having cooked the sausages, she lifting them off the frying pan. It was at this stage that the sausages disintegrated, exploding in her face.
Replying to counsel for Drover Meats, Mr Paul Kavanagh, she said the pan was on medium heat throughout cooking.
She said that when she moved the cooked sausage, it exploded in her face, leaving a lot of residue in the kitchen as a result.
As a result, she said, she suffered burns to her face, hands and fingers. Her left eyelid was considerably sore for some six months, she added.
Mr John Whelan SC, for Mrs Howlin, told the court that it was a freak accident, the result of which saw his client suffer much distress and burns to her face, hands and fingers, while her eyelid was sore as the result of residue exploding from the sausage.
Summing up, Mr Justice Kelly said he could not explain what had actually happened to cause the sausages to explode but he could not hold the company responsible for something which happened during the course of cooking.
He said he would allow the appeal and dismissed the award of €10,000 made at Wexford Circuit Court on November 29th last.
He made no order as to costs.