Family settle case against HSE over death of Portuguese man

The man's mother said: 'He was generous, he was a giver, a carer. My son was my life.'

The court heard Henrique Coelho had attended the emergency department of University Hospital, Galway on January 18, complaining of shortness of breath and pain in his chest for three days. File picture

The family of a 26-year-old man who died two days after he was discharged from the emergency department of University Hospital Galway has settled a High Court action over his death.

The 26-year-old had attended the hospital A&E complaining of shortness of breath and chest pain on January 18, 2024. Henrique Coelho who was from Portugal, but who lived in Rooaunmore, Claregalway, Co Galway, died on January 20, 2024.

The family’s counsel, Edward Walsh SC instructed by Damien Tansey solicitors, told the court it was “ a very, very tragic case”. Counsel said Henrique Coelho had attended the emergency department of University Hospital, Galway on January 18, complaining of shortness of breath and pain in his chest for three days.

The next day on January 19, he was reviewed by an A&E doctor and bloods and X-rays were carried out. It was claimed that, despite his right calf being allegedly bigger than his left and an ECG which was allegedly grossly abnormal, a lower respiratory tract infection was diagnosed and Mr Coelho was discharged.

Counsel said that in the early hours of January 20, Mr Coelho became acutely short of breath and he deteriorated at his mother’s home in Galway. He was brought to hospital by ambulance. He collapsed in the ambulance and was in cardiac arrest. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but Mr Coelho, he said, lost his life.

A postmortem later showed that Mr Coelho had died due to a pulmonary thromboembolism as a result of deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot.

Mr Coelho’s mother, counsel said, is absolutely devastated by the death of her son. The man’s family stood up in court with photographs of the 26-year-old as the ruling of the settlement took place. Mr Coelho’s mother, Silva Milena Gamelas, Albufeira, Portugal, had sued the HSE over the death of her son.

In the proceedings, it was claimed there was an alleged failure to identify calf swelling and that his right calf was bigger than his left. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to identify a classic sign of deep vein thrombosis, calf swelling and an alleged failure to diagnose and treat adequately or at all chest pain.

A situation, it was claimed, had arisen where Mr Coelho suffered a massive pulmonary embolism. Noting the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to Mr Coelho’s mother and wider family.

Outside court, Mr Coelho’s mother said her son was very special and her best friend. “He was generous, he was a giver, a carer. My son was my life," she said.

She said she had lived in Ireland for six years but when she lost her son, she lost everything. “What we had was more than mother and son. We were best friends,” she added.