A woman who was injured while shopping at Save On supermarket in Paola when a false ceiling collapsed on top of her has been awarded over €34,000 in damages by the Civil Court.

The case goes back to July 1990 when Liliana Farrugia was in the supermarket which was owned by Francis Gauci. The false roof, designed and laid in place by Mr Gauci and laden with merchandise collapsed on Mrs Farrugia and a number of other shoppers. Two people died.

Mrs Farrugia told the court that she had suffered facial injuries including a broken jaw and scarring.

The court-appointed medical experts concluded that she had suffered a 10 per cent permanent disability.

Mr Justice Ellul in his sentence noted that one of Mr Gauci's employees told the court that she had heard the false ceiling creaking some six weeks before the accident occurredand that Mr Gauci had told her and other employees not to stand beneath it.

According to the employee, Jannice Mizzi, the false ceiling was an accident waiting to happen.

The court concluded that Mr Gauci was responsible for the accident which had led Mrs Farrugia to suffer a permanent disability. When calculating the damages suffered, the court said that MrsFarrugia was a housewife and was entitled to be compensated for her injuries using the minimum wage as a yard stick. The accident had occurred 22 years ago and although Mrs Farrugia was now 65 years old, she still carried out house work. The court concluded by awarding Mrs Farrugia €34,439 in damages.

See also

Echo of the Save-On tragedy - woman given €40,000 in compensation