A patient who was injured when a ceiling collapsed in a hospital’s critical care unit has settled a High Court action.
Hugh O’Donnell (76) was in St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, last August when part of the ceiling fell on to his bed.
The court heard that the Health Service Executive (HSE) had a patient safety open disclosure meeting with the O’Donnell family, which is believed to be the first such meeting under the new framework.
Mr O’Donnell was covered in water and debris and in some distress when found by hospital staff after the incident.
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Barrister Niall Flynn, for Mr O’Donnell and instructed by Whelan Law solicitors, told the High Court that the action before the courts had been case managed so it could be brought on faster because of Mr O’Donnell’s general health.
Counsel said Mr O’Donnell had been in the critical care unit for treatment for respiratory sepsis and other infections. He said that part of the ceiling which had become saturated with water gave way and collapsed.
Counsel said the water continued to flow. Mr O’Donnell also suffered abrasions and lacerations to his head. The O’Donnell side also contended there were psychiatric injuries.
Counsel said that liability had been conceded early in the case and St Luke’s Hospital accepted the incident was very distressing. The HSE, in correspondence, said it regretted the incident occurred.
The family said they were grateful for the way the case had been met.
Mr O’Donnell, who resides in a nursing home in Urlingford, Co Kilkenny, had sued St Luke’s Hospital and the HSE.
In the proceedings it was claimed there was a failure to take any reasonable care to see Mr O’Donnell was reasonably safe while on the hospital premises and that the premises had been caused to remain in an unsafe condition causing a source of danger to those using it.
It was further claimed that the ceiling had been permitted to remain in a dangerous hazardous and defective condition.
It was also contended that there was a failure to ensure that the ceiling was attended to in a timely manner so as to ensure it would not constitute a source of danger to those on the premises.
Mr Justice Paul Coffey said he was delighted to hear the case had been resolved with such expedition. Details of the settlement were confidential.
