Woman who fell when rock climbing sues climbing centre in Dublin

High Court Reporters

A woman who fell about nine feet to the ground, shattering her ankle while learning to rock climb at a climbing centre, has sued in the High Court.

Monica Luba (35) told the High Court she had gone rock climbing at the Dublin Climbing Centre to get over her fear of heights.

Opening the case, Michael Byrne SC told the court at the end of her second induction session ,Ms Luba was brought bouldering which is climbing without ropes or harness.

Counsel said it was their case that the wall where Ms Luba was climbing to “ the most difficult wall in the building”.

He said that an instructor had brought them on a smaller wall first and showed them how to climb and drop down to a mat.

Counsel said it was their case that bringing Ms Luba bouldering at the end of the session was “ too much too soon” on the “most hazardous wall in the place” and Ms Luba was ill-prepared for it.

Monica Luba from Tyrellstown, Dublin had sued JCN Adventure Ltd the owners of the Dublin Climbing Centre, Belgard Square East, Tallaght, Dublin as a result of the accident on July 4th 2023.

All of the claims are denied in the case and it is contended by JCN Adventure Ltd that there was alleged contributory negligence on the part of Ms Luba. It is claimed there was an alleged failure to follow instructions and that she had undertaken rock climbing which she knew it carried a risk of injury.

It is further claimed that the wall where the accident happened was not the most difficult wall in the centre and that it was the most appropriate one for beginners and the instruction at the time was how to hang and fall safely..

In evidence Ms Luba said she was on a second induction day with a friend when the accident happened. She said they had an instructor and were using ropes and she had a harness.

She said twenty minutes before the end of the session the instructor brought them bouldering.

They were shown how to climb the wall and dop down to a mat. She said the instructor climbed and dropped down and her friend followed.

“I was a bit afraid but I tried it. I was stuck. It was not straight, so I couldn’t see. I didn’t expect to be on a wall like this, a spider wall. It was much higher than the other wall,’ she said.

She claimed that she had to jump and her feet twisted when she landed.

‘”There was a terrible pain,” she said and she later had to have surgery and said she is not now able to run and she can’t play ball with her child because her ankle swells up.

Cross examined by counsel for JCN Adventure Moira Flahive SC she agreed it was her fourth visit to the centre. She said she thought shew would always be on the rope and she had done the bouldering because she wanted to finish the course.

David Browne engineer for Ms Luba told the court that she suffered an uncontrolled fall. He said in his opinion the woman should have been instructed not to go so high.

The case before Ms Justice Carmel Stewart continues.