A student who cut her mouth when she crunched on glass while eating a pork chop has settled a €60,000 personal injuries claim against Dunnes Stores for an undisclosed sum.
In her claim for damages Amy Houlden (22), of Cromlech Fields, Ballybrack, Co Dublin, alleged she had been injured by glass concealed in a Mexican sauce that had been used to marinate the chops.
She stated in her Civil Bill against Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt, Foxrock, Co Dublin, that her father, Sean Houlden, had on September 12th, 2013, bought the chops which had been packaged in a Mexican marinade.
They had remained in their packaging overnight in the family fridge before being cooked on Friday 13th September.
Ms Houlden claimed she had cut the inside of her mouth on shards of glass which had been concealed in the marinade. At first she had felt something hard in her mouth, followed by pain. She had taken little shards of glass from her mouth.
Afterwards she had been taken to St Colmcille’s Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, where she had received a tetanus injection followed by an X-ray of her lungs.
She had been told glass would not show up on the X-ray but any possible injuries caused by the glass would be revealed.
She had been discharged from hospital with a warning to watch out for symptoms such as vomiting. Later she developed a sore throat.
Barrister William Martin Smith, with Murphys Solicitors, told the court that following talks between the parties the case had been settled and could be struck out.
Terms of the settlement were not publicly revealed in court.
Rebecca Lacy, counsel for Dunnes Stores Limited, had entered a full defence in the proceedings which were settled without admission of liability.