€60k for family of woman who choked

An award of €60,000 was made yesterday to the family of a 74-year-old woman who died in hospital after choking on a piece of food.

Mr Justice Henry Abbot approved the settlement offer made by the HSE to the family of the late Margaret O’Brien.

John O’Mahony, senior counsel for the family, said the late Ms O’Brien was in Cork University Hospital when the fatal incident occurred on May 12, 2014. Mr O’Mahony told the judge at the High Court sitting in Cork yesterday that the deceased was on various medications back in May 2014 and had difficulty checking food which predisposed her to the possibility of a choking injury.