The High Court has approved a settlement of compensation for the wrongful death of a child after a statement was read out in court apologising for the death of the child due to a delayed diagnosis.
Kaiden Costello was admitted to Temple Street Children´s Hospital in April 2009 when he was just six months old, as his concerned mother – Kate – had noticed her son was off his food. Kaiden was diagnosed with a failure to thrive, but two months later was re-admitted and an MRI revealed that his condition was due to a brain tumour. Kaiden underwent surgery to remove the tumour in July 2009, but he died three days later.
Kaiden´s mother made a claim for the wrongful death of a child due to a delayed diagnosis against the hospital and HSE; alleging that, had an MRI been conducted when Kaiden was first admitted to the hospital and the tumour identified sooner, her son could have received chemotherapy treatment that would have extended his life by five to ten years or undergone surgery earlier to remove the tumour.
In the High Court, Mr Justice Kevin Cross heard that liability for the failure to diagnose Kaiden had been admitted by Temple Street Children´s Hospital and a settlement of compensation for the wrongful death of a child had been agreed upon amounting to €180,000.
As part of the settlement agreement, an apology was read out by CEO of Temple Street Children´s Hospital – Mona Baker – who said that she understood that no apology or compensation arising from Kaiden´s death could negate the continuing heartache that the family must feel every day.
Judge Cross thereafter approved the settlement of compensation for the wrongful death of a child which comprised of €145,000 for Kate Costello´s nervous shock as a result of the death of her son and €35,000 relating to the wrongful death due to a delayed diagnosis.