The daughter and partner of a 35-year-old woman have secured €243,000 in damages arising from their claim that a failure at Naas General Hospital to diagnose the woman's injuries in a road accident led to her developing septic complications.
The woman died in another hospital seven weeks later.
Mr Joseph Ralph, Colepark Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, brought an action on behalf of the dependants of his late daughter, Ms Sandra Ralph, Sunday's Well, Naas, Co Kildare, against the South Western Area Health Board. Liability was admitted, and the court was asked to assess damages.
Ms Ralph received an injury to her abdomen when the car she was driving to work hit a wall on July 24th, 1998.
She was brought to Naas General Hospital. She was fully conscious and said her stomach was sore and that she had hit the steering wheel.
It was claimed she was left in the intensive care unit for six days. Mr Ralph, in his statement of claim, alleged that, basically, nothing was done.
She had been given morphine and was chatty. After six days she was transferred to Tallaght Hospital where, it was claimed, a tear in the blood supply to the small bowel was discovered.
It was alleged the staff at the Naas hospital failed to diagnose the injury, and this led to the development of septic complications which ultimately led to the development of multiple organ failure and the death of Ms Ralph seven weeks later on September 10th, 1998, in Tallaght Hospital.
Yesterday Mr Justice Gilligan awarded Ms Ralph's daughter Karen (24), who resides with her grandparents, a total of €59,176. He awarded €163,454 to Mr David Green, who had been Ms Ralph's partner since 1984.
Mr Justice Gilligan said that Mr Green had been through a difficult period following Sandra's death. The couple had had a very close relationship. Special damages were fixed at €20,329.
Afterwards Mr Ralph and his wife, Marie, said they were satisfied with the outcome. However, Mr Ralph said he was still seeking an apology from Naas Hospital. "Even if they said, just once, that they were sorry, we would be satisfied," he said.