Misdiagnosis

Medical negligence proceedings against a Dublin hospital for misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment settled prior to High Court hearing

Following an enquiry to our website, we investigated our client’s claims by taking up her medical records and engaging an independent medical expert who prepared a formal causation report which confirmed that, in their expert opinion, the hospital had been negligent in our client’s treatment and care.

We issued High Court proceedings against the hospital for misdiagnosing her allergic reaction and for administering the incorrect medical treatment which resulted in our client suffering severe pain, life threatening symptoms and trauma.

Our client suffered a severe allergic reaction to eating some food and her husband took her to the Emergency Department of the hospital.

She was assessed by a triage nurse and her allergic reaction was misdiagnosed as anaphylactic shock.

She was then erroneously administered adrenalin through an intravenous line which caused her hypertension, tachycardia and bilateral basal crackles.

Our client’s heart rate exceeded 200 beats per minute, she became extremely pale and distressed while her legs and arms were violently shaking, she vomited a number of times, developed severe chest pain and was understandably terrified. An emergency crash team were called and thankfully saved her life. She required a number of days stay in the hospital but eventually made a physical recovery.

She did, however, continue to suffer from recurring flashbacks of the ordeal, she had trouble sleeping, was extremely and irrationally irritable and developed a phobia of hospitals. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) treatment she also recovered from the mental scars of her traumatic ordeal.

The case was eventually settled by the hospital shortly before the hearing date in the High Court, without an admission of liability but compensation within the jurisdiction of the High Court was paid to our client and our client’s legal costs were covered.