New South Wales mother Cassandra Leheny, 39, (centre) was admitted to the Dubbo Base Hospital in December of 2013 for an elbow infection but would be dead just two days later
A woman’s family is suing a hospital for negligence after she died two days after being admitted with a sore elbow.
New South Wales mother Cassandra Leheny, 39, was admitted to the Dubbo Base Hospital in December 2013 for an elbow infection, but would be dead just two days later.
She left behind five children aged from 12 to 27 years old.
Her eldest son, Jamie Leheny, has launched legal action against the hospital.
Mrs Leheny visited her general practitioner about the elbow infection and was immediately sent to hospital.
An X-ray prior to her death showed Mrs Leheny’s elbow had a build-up of fluid. Her her pain began to worsen within a day, then her temperature dropped to dangerous levels as she developed sepsis.
She died later that night after her heart stopped.
The Western NSW Local Health District, which represents the Dubbo Base Hospital, declined to comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
The family’s lawyer, medical negligence expert at Shine Lawyers Caryn Ger, argues the mother’s death was preventable and said she should have been prescribed antibiotics far sooner than she was
The family’s lawyer, medical negligence expert at Shine Lawyers Caryn Ger, argues the mother’s death was preventable and said she should have been prescribed antibiotics far sooner than she was, news.com.au reported.
‘This is a patient who fell through the cracks and alarm bells should have been ringing far sooner than they did,’ she said.
‘The prospect of infection was considered and treated only when the ship has sailed and it was far too late. By then Cassandra was septic and in organ failure. If she had received appropriate antibiotic therapy, that could have been avoided.’
The lawyers will also allege that tests had shown a positive result for bacteria but still did not prescribe antibiotics.
Mrs Ger said she hopes the family could reach a settlement with the hospital.
‘I’m hopeful we will be able to get them something that will make them feel like the hospital has recognised their negligence and how the damage of losing a mother affects young children,’ she said.