Widow settles case over husband’s death from heart attack for €800,000

THE widow of a man who died of a heart attack three weeks after going to his GP with pain in his chest has settled her High Court action over his death for €800,000.

Allison Ryan alleged the wrong diagnosis was made when her husband Gerry Ryan

(42) visited his GP on March

4, 2014, and should have been referred to a cardiologist, her counsel told the court.

Ms Ryan (right) rang the GP medical centre around March

28 to say her husband’s condition was not improving. The father of three was giv- en an appointment for March 31, Bruce Antoniotti SC said. Mr Ryan collapsed at home on the night of March 30.

Mr Ryan, a senior car salesman who was a heavy smoker, was pre-diabetic and there was a history of heart disease on his father’s side.

Ms Ryan of Bantry Road, Drumcondra, Dublin, had sued GP Paul Neary, who has a surgery at Fair Gate Medical Practice, Fair Street, Drogheda, Co Louth, over her husband’s death on March 31,

2014.

It was claimed that on March

3, Mr Ryan experienced severe chest pain and was advised by Dr Neary the next day that he had a burnt oesophagus.

On March 30, Mr Ryan collapsed at the family home and was later pronounced dead.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to investigate Mr Ryan’s symptoms and an alleged failure to refer him to hospital in a sufficiently prompt and timely manner or at all.