A man died from brain injuries two weeks after a fall in a Dublin nursing home, an inquest heard yesterday.
Francis Geoghegan (73) was taken to Beaumont Hospital after falling in the Tara Winthrop Clinic, Nevinstown Lane, Swords, Co Dublin, on April 27th, 2004.
But care assistant Maireád Corrigan, who travelled with Mr Geoghegan to the A&E department, said he was sent back to the nursing home two hours later with stitches to his head wound but no x-rays had been taken.
The Dublin City Coroner's Court heard that Mr Geoghegan, who was conscious but had cut his head in the fall, was then taken back to hospital some hours later after he became ill and began to vomit.
A CT scan carried out on his second visit to Beaumont Hospital that day, found he had suffered a subdural haemorrhage in the fall and his condition worsened and he died on May 11th, 2004.
His partner for 15 years, Patricia Rainsford, told the court that Mr Geoghegan had suffered a stroke which left him partly paralysed on his left side and unable to move unaided.
She said: "I think what really happened was the person looking after Frank didn't know his strength."
Loreta Janeckaite, a carer at the nursing home, told the court that as she was helping Mr Geoghegan to dress on April 27th he slipped suddenly and fell.
Nursing home director Catherine Dunleavy told the court that Ms Janeckaite was experienced and had been working there for several years. She said the man had had other minor falls.
The coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, who passed a verdict of accidental death, said he made no judgment on the CT scan being carried out only on the second admittance, adding "the doctor did not feel it necessary."