Injury claim news
29/12/2011

Personal injury claim names store Santa

A Southampton grandmother has been given the go-ahead to make a personal injury claim against Santa, reports the London Evening Standard.

The 73-year-old blames two of the staff at Selfridges' Santa's den – including Father Christmas himself – for a 2009 fall from which she is yet to fully recover.

The Christmas shopper was visiting London with her with her two grandchildren when she fell over a plastic icicle and broke her leg.

Her compensation claim against the events company behind the grotto was rejected by Southampton County Court earlier this year, but last week London's Civil Appeal Court gave it the green light.

Judges were swayed by the woman's personal injury lawyer, who said human error on the part of Santa and one of his elves had led to the accident.

The presiding judge said the woman was stepping sideways ‘at the request of the elf' when she fell.

"Santa and his elf were not as careful in taking precautions against debris on the floor as they should have been," he said.

The value of personal injury compensation sought will be decided at a later date, the Standard reports.