The four adult children of a woman who died hours after she underwent a thyroid operation at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, are to be paid euro 9,525 (£7,500) for mental distress under settlement of their action against the hospital, the High Court was told yesterday. There is to be a further payment of euro 12,000 for expenses.
Mrs Helen Gaffney (59), of Adare Park, Coolock, Dublin, was admitted to the hospital on September 17th, 1996. She underwent a thyroidectomy the following day and, it was claimed, suffered cardiac arrest, from which she died soon afterwards.
Legal proceedings were taken by Mr Patrick Gaffney (40), an architectural technician, also of Adare Park, Coolock. He sued on his own behalf and on behalf of his two brothers and one sister under the Civil Liability Act, which allows for compensation for mental distress to be paid to the dependants of a deceased person. At the time of Mrs Gaffney's death, the figure allowed was £7,500. Some months afterwards, it was increased to £20,000 (€25,390).
Mr Gaffney had sued on behalf of his two brothers, Michael, of Adare Road, Coolock, and Mark, of Swords Manor Drive, Swords, Co Dublin, and on behalf of his sister, Ms Cathy Fitzgerald, of Blarney, Co Cork.