Woman Crushed by Christmas Tree Sues Casino for $1M
A hairdresser is suing Australia’s Star Gold Coast Casino for around AU $1.68 million (about US$1.11 million) after her hand got crushed by a massive Christmas tree back in November 2023.
How the Christmas Tree Accident Happened
As local media reports, Gabriela Maciel Saraiva, 36, was working a temp labour job helping set up holiday decorations. She and a coworker were moving a huge tree on a cart — Gabriela pushing from behind, her colleague pulling in front. Well, that didn’t turn out well.
What she didn’t know: someone left an elevated work platform in the doorway. The tree’s base blocked her view, and as they passed through, she painfully jammed her left hand between the cart’s guardrail and the tree.
Life After the Accident
The result? Fractures to her index, middle, and ring fingers. She needed surgery (including pins in two fingers), plus splints and therapy. Now she deals with ongoing pain, stiffness, less feeling, and a weaker grip.
As a hairdresser, that’s a nightmare — cutting, clipping, shampooing, blow-drying, and even holding clients’ heads are all harder. She’s less efficient than before, and it’s cost her income.
The lawsuit targets the casino (The Star), the temp agency Combined Labour, and the events company A Noble Event Australia. Combined Labour admits she was hurt but says they had no control over the setup or platform placement. The others haven’t responded yet.
Festive mishaps like this aren’t uncommon — in the US alone, thousands end up in the ER every year from Christmas decorations. SpicyCasinos team hope the lawsuit gets sorted fairly — and everyone stays safe around those holiday setups!
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Author: Irina J (Content Writer) ✍️
Irina is a dedicated content writer, working in the gambling industry since 2015. Her main duties are to look for new and exciting promotions that are not available anywhere else and bring them to you. Irina also tests bonuses and is in direct contact with casino managers. Her passion for supplying our readers with the latest and exclusive bonuses has no borders, this is why spicycasinos.com is the best hub for finding no deposit bonuses.