A YOUNG DOCTOR who claimed her career was ended as a result of severe back injuries sustained while helping to lift a seriously ill hospital patient has settled her High Court action against the HSE.
Dr Louise Slevin (34) had sought some €3.6 million damages for loss of earnings to date and into the future, and loss of pension and medical treatment, as a result of her injuries. No details of yesterday’s settlement were disclosed.
Dr Slevin had claimed she has been in almost permanent excruciating pain as a result of twisting her back while attempting to lift a patient who had fallen out of a bed in the intensive care unit of University College Hospital, Galway, in the early hours of April 8th, 2002.
The injuries have had such a devastating effect on her life that Dr Slevin would have to abandon her plan of becoming a consultant anaesthetist, it was claimed.
In her proceedings, Dr Slevin, Cuan Glas, Bishop O’Donnell Road, Galway, sought damages for severe personal injuries plus some €3.6 million damages for loss of earnings and pension costs to date and into the future, and expenses incurred to date for medical treatment, including a number of operations.
The HSE denied the claims and pleaded contributory negligence by Dr Slevin.
It also claimed her alleged injuries relate to Dr Slevin’s pre-incident back problems and physical ailments.
Yesterday, Frank Callanan, for Dr Slevin, said the case had been settled and could be struck out. Mr Justice Eamon de Valera welcomed the settlement.
Dr Slevin had claimed the HSE was negligent in that she was not trained either to lift a patient or in manual handling techniques, and that the HSE had failed to have a system in place to deal with patients who required lifting.
She also claimed she was exposed to a risk of injury, about which the HSE knew or ought to have known, and failed to provide her with a safe place of work.
It was claimed Dr Slevin had suffered from serious pain in her back and lower body since the incident, which had had a devastating effect on her professional and personal life.
She had undergone a number of surgical procedures, none of which had been successful, the court heard.
She claimed that at the time of the incident she was on a clear path to becoming a consultant but, due to her injuries, will not be able to achieve that goal.