Posted: March 6th, 2014
A woman has been awarded €25,000 compensation for the failure to recognise surgical complications after suffering a near death experience following a Caesarean operation.
Honey Larkin (40) from Letterkenny in County Donegal made her claim for the failure to recognise surgical complications after giving birth at the Letterkenny General Hospital in January 2008.
Honey claimed in her action against the Health Service Executive and consultant gynaecologist Eddie Aboud that she began to haemorrhage internally after her baby was delivered by Caesarean section, and that she lost more than half of her blood volume by the time she was returned to the operating theatre more than one hour later.
Claiming that she had a near-death experience which has left her with a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Honey alleged that the defendants failed to check or recognise she was bleeding profusely, and there was a failure to attach due significance – to or take appropriate action – in response to her distress signals.
Both the HSE and Mr Aboud denied the allegations, and said that Honey was treated in a timely and appropriate manner once the surgical complications had been recognised. However, Honey persisted with her claim for compensation for the failure to recognise surgical complications, and the case was heard at the High Court before Mr Justice Kevin Cross.
At the High Court, Judge Cross heard that no bleeding was apparent when Mr Aboud had finished the surgery; but, when he was called back to attend to Honey´s haemorrhage, he took full charge and performed the operation to successfully prevent the bleeding. The judge said that no blame could be attributed to the gynaecologist and he was dismissed from the action.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross did however find the HSE negligent in needlessly delaying the second operation, and awarded Honey €25,000 compensation for the failure to recognise surgical compensation for the distress she had experienced.
Categories: Hospital Negligence News
