Family Settles High Court Action Over Sepsis Death After Hospital Discharge

The family of a man who died from sepsis following his discharge from University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has settled a High Court action. The legal proceedings highlighted failures in medical investigation and care that led to the death of 76-year-old Michael Cuddihy.

Michael Cuddihy, a father of three, was brought to the hospital by ambulance on November 20, 2023, after becoming unwell at home and experiencing severe pain.

While at the facility, Cuddihy was placed on a trolley in the emergency department. He was administered a drip and provided with intravenous painkillers.

Hospital staff initially informed him that he could return home, but Cuddihy requested to stay overnight. During that overnight stay, he experienced a spike in temperature and vomited.

Despite these symptoms, he was discharged on November 21, 2023, and returned to his residence in Newcastlewest, Limerick.

Cuddihy remained unwell at home for two days. On the morning of November 23, 2023, his wife, Aine Cuddihy, found him dead in bed.

Sara Antoniotti, the counsel for the family instructed by solicitor Rachael Liston, informed the court that the cause of death was overwhelming sepsis. This condition was triggered by a gallstone obstruction.

The family’s legal case asserted that the gallstone obstruction would have been discovered if the appropriate medical investigations had been carried out while the patient was under hospital care.

Aine Cuddihy, a resident of Portmarnock, Dublin, initiated the lawsuit against the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The High Court heard that both the HSE and University Hospital Limerick have previously issued unreserved apologies to the family of Michael Cuddihy and admitted to failings in his care.

While the specific financial details of the settlement remain confidential, counsel noted that the hospital has committed to adopting the recommendations of a review conducted after the death occurred.

Speaking outside the Four Courts, Cuddihy’s daughter, Anne, reflected on the emotional toll of the legal process.

the settlement was the end of “an extremely long, arduous and painstaking journey but there is no comfort in the fact that my dad is gone.”

Anne Cuddihy

Anne Cuddihy stated that the family pursued the legal action because they did not want other families to have to go through what we have had to go through.