Case Study: April 2018
In a case brought with urgency by Cian O’Carroll Solicitors, 13-year-old Krzysztof Sliwa was awarded €325,000 in a legal action arising from the death of his mother, Dorota Sliwa, following delays in the diagnosis and treatment of her evolving breast cancer. The settlement was approved by the High Court in April 2018, and was agreed without an admission of liability from the HSE.
Dorota Sliwa experienced multiple medical reviews over several years, from around 2009 through 2011, during which concerns were raised, but she was not referred for gene-testing despite a strong family history of breast cancer. (Irish Examiner Article Below) In Poland in 2012, after mammogram and ultrasound investigations, a biopsy confirmed invasive cancer, and she underwent a mastectomy. In 2014, further spread of the disease was identified, and despite chemotherapy, the cancer proved aggressive. She passed away in October 2015.
Through appropriate legal proceedings, Krzysztof, acting through his aunt, who now cares for him in Poland, secured interim payments while he is still a minor, recognising the financial and emotional impact of losing his sole parent. The case underscores the critical importance of timely assessment, the implications of delays, especially in patients with family history, and the role of legal redress where failures contribute to loss of life.