Friday May 6, 2011 at 8:31am
A woman claims £6 million after swimming pool accident
A young woman left paralysed after hitting her head on the bottom of a swimming pool at a friend’s home is claiming £6 million in compensation for her injuries and loss.
Kylie Grimes, 23, of Farnham, Surrey is claiming compensation on the basis that there were no warning signs around the pool at Mr. Hawkins home, making it clear that guests should not dive, or indicating the depth of the water. She suffered severe head and neck injuries after striking her skull on the bottom of the pool.
Miss Grimes is suing the father of her friend Mr. David Hawkins, the managing director of a forklift truck business.
At the time of the accident, Mr. Hawkins and his wife were away but had given permission to their daughter Katie to have two friends over.
Miss Hawkins told the court that she telephoned her father for permission to bring three more but a group of 20 came back to the house from the pub. She said she did not invite Ms Grimes over and did not expect people to go swimming.
Miss Grimes's lawyer Phillip Mott QC told Mrs Justice Thirlwall at the London High Court that the circumstances of the accident in August 2006, were a “recipe for disaster”.
The accident could have been averted by locking the pool house or by putting up warning notices, the lawyer said.
Mr Hawkins denies the claim and the case continues.