A family has received an undisclosed settlement of compensation for a fatal lack of care in hospital that resulted in the death of a 65-year-old wife and mother.
In January 2010, Eileen Brady was referred to the Cavan General Hospital by her GP following his diagnosis that a poor fluid intake was causing Eileen to suffer mouth ulcers. Eileen was admitted to the hospital on 5th January, but the rehydration treatment she was administered was ineffective due her veins collapsing, and she died the following day due to multiple organ failure.
An investigation into Eileen´s death revealed that the weakest in her veins was attributable to the chemotherapy treatment she was undergoing in a Dublin hospital to treat her stomach cancer, and that her death could have been avoided had her medical charts been examined more closely and her situation monitored more carefully.
Eileen´s son – Martin Brady from Crosskeys in County Cavan – sued the Cavan General Hospital and Health Service Executive (HSE) on behalf of the family, claiming compensation for a fatal lack of care in hospital which could have been prevented if the hospital in Cavan had liaised with the hospital in Dublin at which Eileen was receiving her treatment for cancer.
The HSE admitted liability for Eileen´s death, and an undisclosed settlement of compensation for a fatal lack of care in hospital was agreed out of court. However, the settlement came with the proviso that a representative of the HSE read out an apology in court, and therefore Ms Justice Mary Irvine and Eileen´s family assembled in the High Court to hear the public apology.
At the High Court, a statement was read in which the Cavan general Hospital and the HSE apologised for the fatal lack of care which resulted in Eileen´s death, and for the emotional trauma that had needlessly been suffered by her family and friends.
Replying on behalf of the family, Aidan Brady said he hoped that both the defendants had learned from “the grave mistakes” made in the care of his mother “and that no other family would have to go through the trauma and distress that we have suffered”.
Ms Justice Mary Irvine extended her personal sympathy to Eileen´s family and closed the hearing.