Medical Negligence History Case

Patrick who is in his mid 50’s lost part of his finger in an accident on his farm.  Patrick was referred to a Dublin Hospital who operated on his finger and reattached it.   He was kept in hospital for a number of days until the finger held. He was released from the hospital into the care of his local GP.

The hospital did not request him to come back to the hospital to have these dressings done. The replanted finger failed after a number of days because the dressings were not carried out by a qualified plastic surgery nurse.

Patrick issued proceedings against his employer, the hospital and the nurse claiming negligence. Expert evidence was obtained from doctors in the UK stating that the hospital should not have allowed the dressings to have been done by an unqualified plastic surgical nurse.

The expert in the UK who had examined all of Patrick’s medical notes and records and history confirmed that the hospital should have ensured that he came back to the hospital for all dressings and that he would have had a better chance of his finger holding.

Proceedings were issued in the High Court and the case subsequently settled without an admission of liability by the Defendants.

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