27 Mar 2012
An air stewardess has received £280,000 in damages after she was injured by an ice canister.
British Airways cabin crew member Gail Ormiston-White was struck by the metal canister while providing drinks for passengers.
While in the galley to fetch water from a metal canister, she saw that another canister containing dry ice had been put in front of it.
As she moved the canister some ice fell to the floor, and when she bent down to pick it up, the canister overbalanced and struck her in the back of the head.
The incident happened during a delay before take-off from Heathrow in July 2008.
Mrs Ormiston-White, 42, from Marlow in Buckinghamshire, said she had suffered “serious neurological consequences” from the accident and has been unable to return to work.
Her lawyers accused BA of being negligent or in breach of its statutory health and safety duty.
But ahead of a High Court hearing to decide the contested issue of liability, counsel Freya Newbery told Mr Justice MacDuff that the case had been settled.
Mrs Ormiston-White will receive £280,000 in compensation plus costs.
After the hearing, Mrs Ormiston-White said: “I’m just glad it’s all over.”
Copyright Press Association 2012