A woman who was run over in a traffic accident in September 1997 was yesterday awarded over €22,000 in damages.

Simone Zammit filed for damages against Doreen Portelli and Tarcisio Azzopardi.

Ms Zammit told the court that she had been run over in Msida on September 26, 1997 by Ms Portelli and that she had suffered a permanent disability as a result of the accident. She requested the court to order either Ms Portelli or Mr Azzopardi to pay her damages.

Ms Portelli pleaded that the accident had not been caused by her but was the result of negligent driving by Mr Azzopardi.

The court heard that the accident had occurred in Tower Street, Msida where the firm Vivian Corporation was unloading goods from a container to be placed in its warehouses.

A fork lifter was being driven by Mr Azzopardi who was unloading the goods and carrying them into the warehouses. Ms Portelli had driven into Tower Street and an eyewitness told the court that as Ms Portelli drove past the warehouses her car mounted the pavement and had run over Ms Zammit. Ms Zammit had fallen down and the witness told the court that he had seen both the front and back wheels of Ms Portelli's car go over Ms Zammit.

As a result of the accident Ms Zammit suffered fractures to her pelvis and leg and had severe friction burns. She was also scarred. The court-appointed medical experts found that Ms Zammit had a physical disability of 33 per cent and psychological damage of 50 per cent.

Madam Justice Abigail Lofaro found that the accident had not been caused by the operation of the fork lifter but by Ms Portelli's driving and the fact that she had totally lost control of her car. The court therefore ordered Ms Portelli to pay Ms Zammit €22,035.45 in damages.