Canadian sues State for negligence

A Canadian resident who is suing the State for negligence yesterday gave evidence that she lost over (Can.) $9,000 when she was unable to return to her job in Canada after she was injured in Trinidad in 1995.

Diane Guide-Bird, of Ontario, Canada, a teacher, is claiming that she was injured when a wrecker tried to remove her sister’s vehicle from a no-parking zone on High Street, San Fernando.  She gave evidence under the directions of attorney Shastri Parsad before Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy in the Port-of-Spain Second Civil Court. Bird said that on June 13, 1995, she went shopping with her sister and her niece in San Fernando. She said her sister was driving and parked the car on High Street. Her sister gave her the keys to the car, stating that they would meet there after 3 pm. Around 2.45 pm, Bird returned to the car and saw a wrecker and trolley which was attached to the car. She said she spoke to a police officer who was at the left side of the car. Three other men were also present. She said one was driving the wrecker, another climbing into the back of the wrecker and the other was standing on the road. Bird said she was shouting and pleading to get her things out of the car. The police officer responded, “Hurry up, hurry up.” She said she went for the car keys in her pocket and that she was nervous. She then unlocked the car door and placed her hand on the handle. She said there was a jolt and the car was moving. She claimed the officer came to her and said, “This lady is taking too long”. She said she was trying to open the door when there was another jolt and a rough motion of the vehicle.

Bird said, “I was going up High Street and I fell down.” She added she fell on the road between the car and the pavement. She stated that her long skirt was hooked up under the car and she could not free herself. She said she was dragged five or eight steps and her left knee was rubbing on the road. She said, “I was terrified. I could not do anything to save myself.” She added that the wheel of the trolley ran over her left foot. She said the wrecker stopped after a crowd which had gathered, yelled for the driver to stop. She was taken to the San Fernando General Hospital where she received painkillers. Bird said she was to return to work on June 16, 1995, but arrived in Canada on June 20. She said she returned to work on August 3. Under cross-examination by State counsel Adrian Darmanie, Bird said she did not see the no-parking signs that day. She said the wrecker was in front of the car. She said she was facing the wrecker when she approached the car.