A WOMAN who has sued her former brother-in-law over ankle injuries suffered when she fell allegedly as a result of “a crumbling step” at his home, has denied in the High Court suggestions the fall was caused by a black cat.
Despite the belief of some people that encountering a black cat means good fortune, Margaret Caldwell said such an encounter had not brought her any luck and she remained in constant pain because of the fall.
While she observed a black cat sitting to her left after she fell on May 9th, 2007, she denied the fall was caused by the cat and said it was due to a “a crumbling step”.
Ms Caldwell (52), Oakleigh, Dublin Road, Navan, Co Meath, is suing Eugene Caldwell, Drumcargy, Upper Maracloon, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan, over the fall. When Joseph McGettigan SC, for Mr Caldwell, put it to her that extracts from reports of two separate hospitals stated Ms Caldwell had told the hospital authorities she had fallen over a cat, Ms Caldwell said she told the hospitals she fell when a step crumbled and denied falling over a cat.
She agreed she had been involved in a road traffic incident in 2008 as a result of which she had secured €10,000 damages.
In evidence, Eugene Caldwell said Ms Caldwell had told him she had tripped on the cat and had not said anything about the step crumbling. There were always a couple of cats around the house, he said.
A crack in the step was inflicted by a JCB but there was no difficulty walking on it, and the step had been replaced due to water seeping into the house, he added.
The hearing was adjourned to Friday.