Family of man who died from sepsis at Galway hospital settle court action

High Court reporters

A family who sued over the death of a grandfather from sepsis in University Hospital Galway has settled a High Court action.

Norbert Sheerin (73) died in the hospital where he had previously worked in the records department.

The family’s counsel, Doireann O’Mahony BL, instructed by solicitor Martin Kerrigan, told the High Court it was their case that when Mr Sheerin was referred to the hospital emergency department by his GP in 2019, he should have had an MRI scan and other investigations.

Ms O’Mahony said if that had happened, a sepsis diagnosis would have been made and Mr Sheerin could then have been treated with IV antibiotics and would have survived.

The settlement against the HSE is without an admission of liability and the court heard a full defence had been lodged in the case.

Ms O’Mahony told the court it was their case that there was an alleged three-day delay in obtaining blood test results.

She said the blood tests showed significant inflammation and other markers for sepsis. Mr Sheerin, she said, deteriorated very suddenly and rapidly and died.

A postmortem found the primary cause of death was sepsis.

Mr Sheerin’s wife, Angela, from outside Galway city, and their daughter, Audrey Murphy, had sued the HSE.

In the proceedings, it was claimed that a potential diagnosis of sepsis was made shortly after Mr Sheerin arrived at the hospital emergency department on September 13th, 2019, but it was then allegedly ignored or not acted upon.

It was claimed there was a failure to properly monitor Mr Sheerin and to act urgently following his grossly abnormal blood test results.

It was also claimed there was a failure to make the diagnosis of sepsis earlier and a failure to transfer Mr Sheerin to emergency surgical care earlier.

Mr Sheerin, it was contended, was deprived of a chance of survival.

All of the claims were denied.

Approving the settlement and the division of the €35,000 statutory mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was a very sad and tragic case, and he expressed his sincere sympathies to the widow and family.