Bride Suffers Life-Altering Injuries After Falling From Second-Story Hotel Window On Wedding Night

A bride's wedding night in February 2020 ended in tragedy when she fell approximately 25 feet from a second-floor hotel window and sustained multiple serious injuries. The incident led to a personal injury claim against the Deebert House Hotel in Kilmallock, Ireland, which was settled in court on Dec. 5.

What Happened

Jackie Sexton (née Tyrrell), 37, told Ireland's High Court that she and her husband, Christopher, returned to room 217 at the Deebert House Hotel at about 3:30 a.m. on Feb. 29, 2020 after a wedding reception held elsewhere. Jackie said she had consumed a significant amount of alcohol and remembered sitting on the windowsill with her feet on a table while smoking a cigarette. The next memory she described was waking in Limerick University Hospital the following day.

Injuries And Immediate Aftermath

Jackie suffered fractured ribs, a collapsed lung and serious injuries to her back, leg, hip and pelvic bone. In court, her counsel said Christopher returned from the bathroom and found the window open and Jackie missing; he could hear moaning from a paved area below that was wet and snow-covered. Access to the area where she landed was described as restricted, which delayed help reaching her.

"The wedding weekend was destroyed," Jackie’s senior counsel, Barney Quirke, told the court, describing the severity and lasting consequences of her injuries.

Legal Case And Hotel Response

Jackie sued the Deebert House Hotel alleging negligence and breach of duty, arguing the hotel failed to take reasonable steps to ensure guest safety in the room. Deebert House denied liability, stating that window restrictors had been fitted in 2014 and that the property complied with building standards. The parties settled the personal injury claim on Dec. 5; the hotel continued to refute responsibility for the fall.

Long-Term Impact

Jackie, a mother of two from Croom, described how the fall ended an active lifestyle that had included walking, swimming and holding a jockey's licence since her teens. She previously worked in hospitality and medical device production but says ongoing back and leg pain prevents her from returning to those jobs. Her recovery included surgery, wearing a surgical collar and braces, time in a wheelchair and on crutches, and extensive physiotherapy.

The settlement resolves the claim heard in Ireland's High Court, where testimony and legal arguments focused on how the fall occurred and the hotel's responsibilities to guest safety.