Young man settles his case against the HSE regarding eye injuries post shunt surgery at Mediation for a significant sum

A young man in his 30s approached Orla Kelly, Partner in the Medical Negligence Department, in despair when he developed significant injuries to his eyes which rendered him what would be classed as blind following shunt surgery.  His family and in particular his mother had suspicions that something went wrong in the aftermath of surgery but they did not know exactly what happened or how to help him.

In October 2021 he underwent shunt surgery in Cork University Hospital which seemed to go well.  However, in the hours following that surgery his condition deteriorated and his Glasgow Coma Score (a tool used by medics to assess a person’s level of consciousness) dipped significantly.  This deterioration continued throughout the next day.  By briefing an independent expert Neurosurgeon, we learnt that this deterioration was a sign that a mixed collection of air and fluid had developed within the cyst cavity in his brain.  This development was unfortunate but not due to negligence however we also learnt that when monitoring a patient post-operatively staff must always be alert to any deterioration and return a patient to theatre immediately if necessary. In this case there was a delay in returning him to theatre and that delay was a breach of duty.  Importantly we learnt that that delay caused him to suffer permanent severe cranial nerve palsies with bilateral IV and VI nerve palsies, manifesting as visual loss, double vision, fatigue, headaches, poor balance, and a feeling of discomfort when lying down.  His sight impairment has a huge adverse knock-on effect on many aspects of his daily life.  He cannot work, drive, or live an independent life.

A settlement was achieved shortly before the scheduled trial date which achieved a significant sum for this young man.  These monies will allow him to purchase the necessary medical treatments, care and assistance, accessible accommodation, aids, and assistive technology and hopefully improve his quality of life.

Hopefully lessons will be learned by the staff involved in caring for such patients and a similar error with such devastating consequences for a young man and his family will not occur again.

Contact us at Cantillons Solicitors at +353 (0)21 4275673 or info@cantillons.com  if you would like more information.

* In contentious business, a Solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.  Many Personal Injury Solicitors portray themselves as “no win no fee Solicitors Cork”. This term can be misleading and it is essential that you discuss fees with the Personal Injury Solicitor you ultimately choose. At Cantillons Solicitors, we are entirely transparent.