€55k Medical Negligence Compensation Awarded to Family of Man Who Died Days after A&E Treatment

 €55,000 medical mistreatment compensation has been awarded to the family of an 82-year old man who died at Mayo General Hospital a few days after being rushed to A&E following a road accident.

The man in question, Darby King, who was on anti-coagulation medicine, was only prescribed blood clotting medication ten hours after he was taken to A&E it was alleged.

The accident, which occurred on April 24 2014, left Mr King with minor injuries. However, his condition worsened over the next few days and he died in hospital three days later. A verdict of medical misadventure was returned in a inquest hearing in 2015.

The inquest was advised that there had been “unacceptable delay” in administering blood-clotting medication greatly diminished his chances of survival.

In the High Court, Mr Justice Robert Eagar approved a settlement of €55,000 in the case.

Outside court, Mr King’s daughter, Caroline Murnane, on behalf of the King family said they were very happy to finally have closure on this case.

They said: “There are no words to describe what the past four years has done to us. “We were traumatised by Dad’s death and we have spent the last four years trying to get justice for him and to give him a a voice. We have been tormented every day by the events that unfolded the day Dad was admitted to the hospital. However, the verdict received from Dad’s inquest together with the court ruling will now allow us to move forward.”

Ms Murnane, of Clogher, Claremorris, Co Mayo, and her brother John King, of Drummin, Castlebar, had sued the HSE over the death of their father. It the compensation case they claimed that, as a result of the accident, Mr King suffered cuts to the face, nose and head and was confused.

Addtionally it was claimed that:

• The advice was that the prognosis was inadequate and by the early hours of April 25, Mr King was considered for palliative care.
• There was an alleged failure to diagnose a traumatic head injury and to prescribe blood clotting medication in a timely fashion.
• There was an alleged failure to adhere to the advice of Beaumont Hospital to administer the blood clotting medication as quickly as possible.

The claims were denied by the defendents.