A NSW hairdresser whose coffee run ended with her slipping and breaking her ankle on a shopping centre travelator has been awarded almost $265,000.
Kempsey businesswoman Trudi Jeffery was carrying coffee and a teacake back to her hair salon when she slipped on a travelator in Kempsey Central in May 2015.
She'd been trying to avoid heavy rain outside and was unaware rain coming through the side of the centre's carpark had wet the travelator.
Unable to regain her feet, she had to shimmy herself onto the carpark floor when she reached the end of the travelator.
She was joined on the ground moments later by an acquaintance who had tried to help her and fallen on the ramp too.
District Court Judge David Russell found the owners of Kempsey Central shopping centre should have known the travelator was dangerous during heavy rain.
A man had twisted his ankle in 2014 in similar circumstances.
Judge Russell said Ms Jeffery was "a very impressive hard-working person who has done the best to get on with her life" but had daily pain in her ankle.
He also found the formerly active 49-year-old could no longer volunteer as a life saver and was unlikely to be still able to work at age 65.
Her inability to do housework and cook family meals was also considered, and made up almost half of the $264,280 Pacific Coast Shopping Centres was ordered to pay Ms Jeffery.
Share
