Family of mother who died in Limerick hospital settles action

Limerick woman, who had persistent abdominal pain, was not given a CT scan in time and when she was scanned 'her spleen had completely shattered' and she died later that day, court heard

Roland Doherty, third from left, from Croagh, Limerick, who settled action against the HSE over the death of his wife Susan along with his brother in law Robert Moloney and extended family. Picture: Collins Courts

The family of a young mother who went to University Hospital Limerick with abdominal pain but who did not get a CT scan in time and she later died has settled for €660,000 a High Court action over her death.

Susan Doherty, 45, who had persistent abdominal pain, was at one stage taken for the CT scan but was returned to the ward without it having been carried out due to a difficulty with IV access, Mr Justice Paul Coffey was told.

The Doherty family counsel, Bruce Antoniotti SC instructed by Rachael Liston solicitor, told the court when the mother did get the scan at 5am on July 4, 2020, it showed “her spleen had completely shattered” and there was blood in the abdominal cavity.

Emergency surgery was carried out and Ms Doherty, from Kiltannan Croagh, Co Limerick, had transfusions of nine units of blood and eight units of plasma, but she later died at 12.20pm on July 4.

Counsel said experts on their side would say if a CT scan was done earlier, surgery would have been carried out in good time to save Ms Doherty. 

Counsel said their experts would also say a treatment dose of the blood thinner heparin was contraindicated and led to shock and haemorrhage.

Breach of duty admitted

The HSE, counsel said, accepted that between July 2 and July 4 the care of Ms Doherty was below the standard of care and a breach of duty was admitted.

Counsel said Charlotte Rose Doherty, who was just short of her third birthday when her mother died, is now cared for by her dad Roland, who he said devotes all his time to her as well as running a family business.

Roland Doherty had sued the HSE over the death of his wife. A separate nervous shock action taken by Mr Doherty was also settled. Picture: Collins Courts

Roland Doherty had sued the HSE over the death of his wife. A separate nervous shock action taken by Mr Doherty was also settled.

In a statement outside court, Mr Doherty said he hoped lessons had been learned from the tragic case.

“I hope all the recommendations after the internal review after Susan’s death have been implemented so what had happened to us does not happen to any other family,’ he said.

He added: “I hope no other family has to go through what we've had to go through for the last three years.” 

Inquest

An inquest into the death of Ms Doherty recorded a verdict of medical misadventure.

Coroner John McNamara also recommended that the HSE and the UL Hospitals Group consider increased use of handheld scanning devices.

Mr McNamara said it appeared that without a CT scan, doctors were “fighting with one hand tied behind their backs”.

He said an autopsy concluded  the cause of death was due to “shock intra-abdominal haemorrhage, due to splenic rupture.” 

At the inquest, a letter from the UL Hospitals Group was read out which expressed “deepest sympathies to Susan’s family” and unreservedly apologised to Ms Doherty’s family for the sorrow and distress caused over her untimely death.

In the High Court proceedings, it was claimed there was a failure to ensure a CT scan was undertaken on July 2, 2020 which would have led to surgery being performed on that date and a failure to recognise or consider that accurate clinical assessment of Ms Doherty was no longer possible in circumstances where she was receiving opiate painkillers and a CT scan was mandated.

There was also, it was claimed, a failure to consider Ms Doherty was suffering from acute intra-abdominal haemorrhage.

It was further claimed Ms Doherty was prescribed the heparin on July 3, 2020, leading to massive haemorrhage, shock and death.

Approving the settlement Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a very tragic case and he said the offer was fair and reasonable. He also conveyed his sympathy to Mr. Doherty and his daughter and all the extended family.