The mother of a two year old girl, who died after contracting meningitis, has been awarded more than 170,000 Euros after the hospital in which the little girl died admitted errors in the way they handled her condition. Natalie Courtney (28) of Drimnagh, County Dublin, had taken her daughter, Aisling, to Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin, Dublin on February 19 2006, after Aisling had started suffering from hallucinations and a sore neck. The doctor who examined Aisling diagnosed her as having a 24-hour viral gastric bug and being dehydrated. Natalie requested that Aisling be kept in overnight for observation and stayed with her daughter throughout.
After the initial examination, a rash developed on Aisling’s back and, early in the morning of February 19, Aisling was placed on a drip. She subsequently developed purple spots on her skin, and Natalie was informed that Aisling was being treated for meningitis.
Aisling’s condition deteriorated and she was moved into the hospital’s intensive care unit. But, at 10.25am, Aisling died of a heart attack. The shock was overwhelming for Natalie who, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neil heard at the High Court, became socially withdrawn and developed feelings of guilt due to her own failure to intervene in Aisling’s treatment and demand more appropriate action. After seeking legal advice, Natalie sued the hospital for nervous shock arising from Aisling’s death, claiming that she had suffered depressive injuries as a result of the manner in which she had witnessed her child’s death.
Our Lady’s hospital conceded liability late last year – extending and aggravating Natalie’s feelings – and Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neil accounted for this lack of admission when awarding Natalie 150,000 Euros plus an amount to cover the costs associated with legal representation at the inquest into Aisling’s death.