The High Court has approved a settlement of €87,500 in the case of a young boy whose parents had to pay for a private ambulance to transport him to Dublin for surgery for acute appendicitis.
The court was told four-year-old Conor Naughton endured an alleged 24-hour delay in having surgery for his condition.
He was taken to hospital on 18 August 2013 with vomiting and a high temperature which had been present for three days.
The next day it was suggested he be transferred to hospital in Dublin but his parents became concerned as his condition worsened and there was an alleged delay in arranging an ambulance.
His parents decided to pay for a private ambulance which arrived at 5.30pm on 19 August. Senior Counsel Bruce Antoniotti told the court this had followed a “comedy of errors” where his client was diagnosed first with gastroenteritis and then peritonitis.
Mr Antoniotti said the boy was in significant pain and his parents feared their son would not make it. He had abdominal surgery on arrival in Dublin and spent 17 days in hospital.
Had the case gone to trial, expert witnesses for the plaintiffs would say the surgery should have been carried out the day before.
The now 14-year-old from Ballycullen, Dublin had through his mother Claire Naughton sued the HSE.
The claims were denied and the settlement of the action against the HSE was made without admission of liability.
Approving the settlement, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart said it was a very distressing time for the parents.
