€270,000 awarded to woman who cared for her parents

A woman who took care of her elderly parents for over a decade was yesterday awarded compensation in excess of €270,000 after her siblings tried to prevent her from taking possession of the legacy she had been promised.

Maria Lourdes Brincat filed her action for compensation against her late widowed father and her siblings after the compensation was not mentioned in her mother's will.

Ms Brincat told the First Hall of the Civil Court that her parents Michelina and Giuseppe Brincat had promised to compensate her in their wills for taking over all of the household chores. The woman had a particular relationship with the parents and even used to hand over her income to them - a sum which over time accumulated to some €21,000.

But when her mother died a few years back, she failed to mention this compensation in her will.

She continued to take care of her father but eventually filed the civil case in court asking for compensation.

Mr Brincat acknowledged the daughter's work and admitted in court that there had been this promise of compensation. He too died, however, and despite specifically leaving a legacy to the daughter as compensation in the form of property, her siblings blocked her taking over the property.

In fact, as heirs, the siblings would have had to agree to the transfer of the property and formally put her in possession of the legacy.

Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco said there was no doubt that Ms Brincat ought to be compensated for the work she had done.

Once her siblings had not put her in possession of her legacy the court proceeded to liquidate the compensation owing to her, which compensation, said the court, was based on the contents of Mr Brincat's will and his assets.

The court proceeded to award Ms Brincat €271,248.