The High Court has been told how a woman felt her leg break when a lift plummeted three floors to the basement of a Kerry hotel.
The woman is among a group of five people who are suing after being injured in the incident on July 9th, 2011 at the Killarney Plaza Hotel.
They were returning to their rooms after a wedding ceremony when it is claimed the lift from the carpark failed to dock at the intended floor and dropped to the basement.
Patricia O'Leary of Co Meath along with her husband, Garda Sergeant Andrew Meehan, his brothers Paul and Kevin Meehan and Kevin's wife Jennie Wong have sued the hotel owners, Shawcove Ltd with registered offices at Castleisland.
They are also suing companies involved in installing and maintaining lifts: Ellickson Engineering Ltd, which is in receivership of Kilmurry, Waterford; Kilell Ltd also of Kilmurry, Waterford, Otis Ltd, Naas Road Business Park, Dublin and Otis Elevator Ireland Ltd of the same address, as well as lift components manufacturer Daldoss Elevetronic Spa of Valsugana, Italy.
It is claimed there was a failure to ensure the intended pathway from the car park was safe and free from hazard and there was a failure to install a proper functioning lift from the car park to the hotel.
The High Court heard that the five people shouted for help for 15 minutes after the lift collapsed before the doors were prised open.
Patricia O'Leary, whose case is being heard first, told the court she felt her leg break on impact and she had to be cut from the wreckage.
She said the group was dazed and confused, the walls of the lift came in around them and it was very traumatic.
The mother-of-two had to retire from An Garda Siochana on medical grounds; she has pain every day and uses a spinal cord stimulator.
The court heard liability was conceded in the case in 2019 and the cases are before the court for assessment of damages only.
Opening the case Richard Kean SC with Barney Quirke SC said never once has an apology been offered for the incident, which he said caused such catastrophic injuries.
The case before Mr Justice Michael Hanna continues.
