Widow sues Darling Downs Health over husbands premature death

A grieving widow has alleged her husband was sent home from a Toowoomba emergency department after staff failed to notice his aorta had ruptured, drowning his heart in blood.

A widow is suing Darling Downs Health, alleging Toowoomba Hospital staff failed to properly diagnose her husband’s aortic tear which killed him two days after he was discharged from hospital.

The widow of a Toowoomba man who died two days after he walked in to the Toowoomba Hospital with shortness of breath and back pain is suing the Darling Downs Health, claiming it failed to provide a reasonable standard of care.

In a Statement of Claim filed in the Toowoomba Supreme Court, Margaret Priest alleges her late husband Tony Priest was admitted to Toowoomba Hospital Emergency Department on April 4, 2021 and discharged after being diagnosed with a respiratory tract infection.

He died at home two later in bed days when his aorta tore, filling the sack that contained his heart with blood.

The condition is known as an aortic dissection and is often fatal if not treated in time.

Mrs Priest’s claim alleges that Darling Downs Health staff committed two failures in their duties that led to her husband’s premature death.

They include a failure to act on Mr Priest’s presenting symptoms to perform a CT Thoracic Angiogram to confirm or exclude the possible presence of a thoracic aortic dissection, and a failure to act on Tony’s presentation with a new aortic murmur to confirm or exclude the possible presence of thoracic aortic dissection.

It is further alleged the hospital incorrectly diagnosed Mr Priest with pleurisy, failed to appreciate that his tearing interscapular pain was a classical presentation for thoracic aortic dissection, failed to perform an adequate physical examination, failed to elicit from X-rays of his widening mediastinum, failed to formulate a proper treatment plan and failed to arrange for surgical repair of the aortic dissection.

Finally, it is alleged the hospital discharged Tony prematurely and with simple analgesics that were not compatible with his pain levels.

The statement of claim goes on to allege that an “ordinary, competent emergency department” would have property assessed Mr Priest’s chest X-ray to find the condition, organised an urgent thoracic CT scan, diagnosed the condition correctly, and arranged for surgical repair.

If this was done then it is alleged Mr Priest had a 70-80 per cent chance of survival.

Mrs Priest is suing Darling Downs Health for about $720,000 for pain and suffering, out-of-pocket expenses, impaired future earning capacity and past economic loss.

A spokesman for Darling Downs Health said the service extended its deepest sympathies to Mr Priest’s family.

“We are committed to improving the health and well-being of all people in the region by providing high-quality healthcare services and supporting our people to provide those services in a safe and dignified environment,” he said.

“As the matter is currently being considered by the courts, Darling Downs Health is unable to provide any further detail or comment relating to it.”

Originally published as Widow sues Darling Downs Health over husbands premature death