A High Court settlement of €40,000 was approved by Mr Justice Michael Peart as compensation for the distressed family of Ms Louise Butler, aged 21, of Cappa Lodge, Sixmilebridge, County Clare. Louse Bulter died at Limerick Regional Hospital on November 16, 2006.
The settlement and apology followed a hospital negligence claim, which the HSE had initially denied. The claim was brought against the Health Service Executive (HSE) by Ms Butler’s brother James Butler, on behalf of his family, who insisted that Ms Butler would have lived if she had received proper medical care at Limerick Regional Hospital,
Between October 6-12, 2006, Ms Butler sought help at the hospital for an unbearable headache. Her family and doctor strongly urged the hospital to provide her with a CT cat scan prior to her leaving the hospital. Ms Butler was discharged on October 12 without having received a CT cat scan. The hospital eventually did provide a CT cat scan for Ms Butler on October 13 that showed massive bleeding in her brain. The family claimed that this came too later because Ms Butler collapsed and died before receiving the results.
Medical experts testified that if the scan would have shown the need for immediate treatment if it had been provided earlier.
The HSE apologised to the Butler family and admitted medical failures and deficiencies had contributed to Louise Butler’s tragic death.