Million Euro Award in Tragic Wrong Drug Poisoning Case

The widow of a man who was administered the wrong drug to treat a case of poisoning, has had a compensation settlement of 1 million Euros approved in the High Court. Colm O’Donovan (31) of Dunmanway, County Cork, had become ill in August 2005 with suspected food poisoning, and his wife, Patricia, had called the South Doc out of hours medical service. The doctor with the service gave Colm an injection of Cyclamorah, but the following morning his condition had deteriorated. Colm collapsed as he tried to get out of bed and started to suffer seizures.
Patricia once again contacted South Doc medical service, and this time Colm was attended by Dr. Johan Dirk van der Meer. Dr. van der Meer diagnosed that Colm’s seizures were a reaction to the first drug and administered an injection of Largactyl – claiming that it would control the seizures. Instead, Colm’s condition continued to deteriorate and, shortly after being attended by his GP the following morning, suffered a heart attack and died.
It was claimed in the subsequent action against South West Doctors On Call Ltd, trading as South Doc, of St Finan’s Hospital, County Kerry and Dr. van der Meer that Dr. van der Meer had failed to conduct a full examination of Colm. This, it was alleged, would have revealed a serious illness for which Colm could have received treatment in hospital. It was also alleged that by administering the injection of Largactyl, Dr. van der Meer accelerated a serious illness which eventually lead to Colm’s death.
Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill heard in the High Court that liability had been admitted by Dr. van der Meer and the action against South Doc was struck out. Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill was also told that an agreement had been reached between Colm’s family and the negligent party for a compensation settlement of 1 million Euros, which he was satisfied to approve.