HSE admits negligence in John Tuohy’s death; family awarded €35,000

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The HSE admitted negligence and a breach of duty of care in the death of John Tuohy, after a CT scan was not carried out during his first hospital visit. Judge Paul Coffey ordered that the family receive the statutory amount of €35,000 and their legal costs.

Tuohy, 68, of Toomevara, County Tipperary, died at University Hospital Limerick on September 14, 2022, after falls at home caused a head injury. A scan request on September 11 was rejected; when he was brought back to hospital the following day, a scan showed a large subdural haemorrhage and a skull-base fracture.

The hospital’s apology accepted that the scan should have been completed on September 11 and that its omission was an error and breach of duty that led to Tuohy’s death.