The Health Service Executive (HSE) has issued a public apology in the High Court, to the family of a Garda sergeant who died after giving birth to twins at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth.
Tania McCabe (34) of Termonfeckin, County Louth, was admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in March 2007, after her waters broke when only six months pregnant. Tania was attended to by consultant obstetrician, Shane Higgins, who discharged her after only one night’s observation.
Tania went into labour and was re-admitted to Our Lady of Lourdes the following day, where she underwent an emergency Caesarean section to deliver her twin boys. One of the twins, Zach, had severe congenital abnormalities and died in Tania’s arms shortly after his birth. It was then discovered that Tania had suffered a post-partum haemorrhage and, despite emergency surgery, Tania died the following day
In an action brought by Tania’s widower, Aidan (41), her eldest son Ben (6) and the surviving twin Adam (4), it was claimed that the HSE and Shane Higgins were negligent in failing to properly diagnose his wife’s waters had broken, wrongfully discharging her from hospital and not diagnosing she was in septic shock when readmitted.
Liability was admitted by the defendants, and the case was brought before Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill in the High Court for assessment of damages only.
Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill approved an undisclosed settlement for husband Aidan, in respect of mental distress, shock, loss, damages and expenses. The two boys had settlements approved for 200,000 Euros each, and Tania’s mother, Barbara Corcoran, also had an undisclosed sum approved for her claim of nervous shock.