Two sisters who suffered cuts to their mouths and throats after eating a pizza containing glass shards from Pizza Hut six years ago were awarded damages totalling RM55,000 at the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday.
Magistrate A Akhirudddin@ Boy Acho in his oral judgment found the fast-food restaurant liable for negligence, with the plaintiffs proving their claim against Pizza Hut.
He ordered Pizza Hut Restaurants Sdn Bhd to pay E Kumaravally, 40, and E Uma Maheswari, 32, RM2,500 each in general damages and RM50,000 in exemplary damages and costs.
According to the sisters’ statement of claim, they had both bitten into an Island Supreme pizza with glass shards in it at the Pizza Hut restaurant at Tesco Jelutong at 1.15pm on Nov 25, 2012.
As soon as they bit into their first slice, the women felt sharp pain in their mouths and throats. Upon spitting out their half-chewed pizza, they found blood stains and pieces of glass in it. The sisters alerted the waiter, who in turn alerted the store manager. The manager, Hasalawati Ahmad, brought the rest of the pizza for inspection and took photos of the pizza and the half-chewed slices.
Hasalawati then brought the women to the restaurant’s panel clinic, Klinik Tanah Melayu at Sungai Nibong, for treatment. The doctor described their injuries as “multiple small cuts in the mouth and throat”. The manager then apologised to the sisters and told them they would not be charged for their meal. The sisters and Hasalawati lodged a police report each for the record.
Pizza Hut, in its statement of defence, denied all claims made by the sisters. It also denied that such an incident had taken place. However, during the trial, the defence witnesses admitted to the incident.
J Shamsher Singh represented the sisters while Mohammad Syafiq Nasrullah Saleem Ali appeared for Pizza Hut Restaurants.
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