A chef who claims he injured his knee when he allegedly slipped and fell on stairs at The Shelbourne hotel has launched a High Court action.
Arkadiusz Perzyna was carrying a tray of shallot and carrot purée to a basement kitchen at the five-star hotel in St Stephen’s Green, Dublin when he claims he tripped and fell forward down four steps.
All the claims are denied and the hotel further denies that the sous chef tripped.
The man’s counsel, Gabriel Gavigan SC, instructed by Maguire McClafferty solicitors, told the court the 45-year-old sous chef now cannot run after he suffered a tear to his knee.
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Counsel told Ms Justice Carmel Stewart it was their case that there had been multiple previous complaints by co-workers in advance of the fall about the condition of the stairs. Counsel said that when his side sought disclosure of documents from the hotel side in relation to those complaints, there were no documents of previous complaints and CCTV did not cover the part of the stairs where the sous chef allegedly fell.
The hotel, counsel said, will contend the chef could have used the lift but the sous chef was too busy and guests, patrons and other employees all use the lift, Mr Gavigan said.
Arkadiusz Perzyna, of Annfield Lawn, Castleknock, Dublin has sued Torriam Hotel Operating Company Ltd, trading as The Shelbourne Hotel, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin as a result of the alleged fall five years ago.
It was claimed that on November 11th, 2018, at around 11.45am the chef was working in the kitchens of the hotel and had to make his way down to the basement kitchen. He was carrying a tray and it is claimed that as he stepped down on to one of the steps his right foot got caught on what he claimed was a lip caused by a combination of an alleged defect in the step and an alleged raised defective nosing strip. He fell forward down four steps landing heavily on his knees, it is alleged.
It was claimed the steps were caused to be defective and were broken up and uneven and had defective nosing strips.
It was also claimed there was a failure to heed multiple previous complaints from hotel employees in relation to the condition of the steps.
All of the claims are denied. The hotel denies the fall occurred and that there was a lip on the stairs which was allegedly caused by a combination of an alleged defect in the step and an alleged raised defective nosing strip on the step.
The hotel also claims that Mr Perzyna was the alleged author of his own misfortune and had allegedly failed to pay appropriate attention while descending the stairs.
The case continues.