Woman gets compensation for services to family

A woman was today awarded more than €270,000 in compensation for services rendered to her family and elderly parents.

Maria Lourdes Brincat filed her action for compensation against her widowed father and her siblings.

She told the court that she had rendered services to her parents Michelina and Giuseppe Brincat and had taken over all the household chores while her mother was at work.

Ms Brincat added that she used to hand over her income to her parents and that this amounted to €20,964.

Both parents had promised her that they would compensate her for her services in their wills but the mother failed to do so. So Ms Brincat proceeded to file her action.

The court heard that Giuseppe Brincat had acknowledged that his daughter had indeed carried out these services and that she had given her income to her parents.

In his will, Mr Brincat further confirmed this and left his daughter a legacy by way of compensation for the services. But Ms Brincat’s siblings, who also inherited their parents, had failed to formally put Ms Brincat in possession of her legacy.

In handing judgement, Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco said there was no doubt that Ms Brincat ought to be compensated for the work she had carried out.

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.