Elderly man who fell twice in Beaumont Hospital settles for €145,000

Donna King, from Trim, Co Meath, leaving the Four Courts in Dublin after a High Court action on behalf of her father, Frank King was settled. Picture: Collins Courts

An elderly man who fell twice while a patient at Beaumont Hospital injuring his hips has settled a High Court action for €145,000.

Retired builder Frank King, Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told, first fractured his left hip and then his right in two separate falls within a few weeks of each other in 2017.

The settlement is without an admission of liability.

Frank King (77) of Trim, Co Meath had through his daughter Donna King sued the Beaumont Hospital as a result of the falls.

The King side claimed there was an alleged failure to place Mr King who has dementia on continuous watch and to review his earlier admissions to the hospital.

In an affidavit to the court Ms King of Trim, Co Meath said her father had a complex prior medical history.

Retired builder Frank King first fractured his left hip and then his right in two separate falls within a few weeks of each other in 2017 at Beaumont Hospital.

She said her father had been readmitted to Beaumont Hospital on August 2, 2017 with left toe infected gangrene. Surgical options including amputation of the toe were being considered.

She said in the early hours of August 7, 2017 Mr King fell and fractured the left neck of his femur and had surgery within 24 hours of the first fall.

He remained in hospital as a date was scheduled for the toe amputation. However, she said on August 30, 2017, Mr King fell in the toilet area and fractured his right hip.

He had to have further surgery to the right hip.

Approving the settlement Mr Justice Cross said it was a very good one and he sympathised with the Kings on the circumstances of the accident.