A widow of a man who died in Tallaght hospital in 2005 after being left without fluids over a five-hour period has obtained an award of €320,000 in damages from the High Court.
The hospital unreservedly apologised in court to the widow for her husband’s “untimely” death. The High Court was told that the man died of pneumonia, sepsis and multi-organ failure in the hospital on the 3rd of October 2005, two days after he was admitted. The man was diagnosed with dehydration on admission however at one point he begged his wife to take him home because he was so desperate for water and “did not want to die” in hospital, the High Court was told.
Counsel for the widow told the Court that the severity of the deceased man’s symptoms was not recognised and the management of his condition was inadequate. It was alleged that if he had been provided with ongoing fluid resuscitation and transferred to intensive care, he probably would have survived.
Counsel for the widow also informed the Court that the family of the deceased man has significant concerns about the way the matter was handled by the hospital after the man’s death. The Court was told that the death certificate was issued with a wrong cause of death, an adequate investigation was not carried out and the death was not reported to the coroner. There was also a delay in getting records.
Counsel for the hospital wished to state unequivocally and without reservation that it accepted full responsibility for the untimely death of the man.
David Walley + Co Solicitors are personal injury solicitors with many years experience advising clients in relation to personal injury* claims.
*In contentious business a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement