Widow of man who died after ear infection takes Health to court

Thursday 07 September 2017

The death of a man who died just hours after attending A&E due to a bleeding ear could have been prevented, his wife is claiming.

Bianca Auckland, the widow of 47-year-old David Auckland, is taking legal action against the Health Minister and the Hospital's Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant, Jose de Cordova - they deny the allegations.

She claims that they were responsible for “clinical negligence” that led to the death of Mr Auckland in the Hospital Emergency Department in May 2014.

He had come to A&E after suffering a seizure and a fall from his bed at home.

An inquest, which was opened not to allocate blame, but to determine the clinical cause of death, concluded that his death was from bacterial meningitis following a severe ear infection.

This was aggravated by his enlarged heart, which may have contributed to “sudden ventricular arrhythmias” that may prove fatal.

The Royal Court is now examining whether Mr Auckland’s death was preventable and whether the defendants acted in breach of duty. The defendants deny both allegations.

The case is currently being heard by Advocate Matthew Thompson, Master of the Royal Court, and remains ongoing. In late August, Advocate Thompson made an order for a simultaneous exchange of medical reports between the opposing parties.