Beaumont Hospital admits liability in death of man

A Dublin Hospital has admitted liability in action brought by the family of 76-year-old patient who bled to death that he was not properly monitored after he developed a post operative complication.

Mr William Warren died in August 2005 from heart failure, following a massive abdominal haemorrhage, after he was operated on at Beaumont Hospital, in Dublin 9.

As a result the late Mr Warren's four daughters, three sons and 12 grandchildren had sued the hospital for negligence and breach of duty causing the wrongful death of the 76-year-old from Bothar Ribh, Artane, Dublin.

Today when the action came before the High Court Mr Justice Vivian Lavan was informed that Beaumont hospital had admitted liability in the case and were consenting to judgment of €40,000 plus costs.

The case for mental distress, loss and damages, brought under the 1961 Civil Liberty Act had been expected to last a week.

The family brought proceedings against Beaumont Hospital due to what they claimed was the grossly substandard nursing care at the hospital, the defendant's failure both to monitor Mr Warren's condition and to alert the cardiac team of changes in his medical condition.

The action was also based on the hospital's failure to take into account that Mr Warren had suffered a complication during the procedure he underwent - known as an angioplasty which involves the mechanical widening of a blood vessel that has narrowed.