Case Study
We represented the family of Bernadette Phelan, who tragically died after a routine knee operation at Whitfield Clinic led to a fatal pulmonary embolism. Despite her known history of DVT and other risk factors, the anticoagulant care provided was found by independent experts to be wholly inadequate.
When the clot reached her lungs, Bernadette collapsed in front of her family, who could do nothing to save her. Although liability was denied by her surgeon and anaesthetist, the case was settled for a significant six-figure sum.
For her husband, 14 children, and 22 grandchildren, the settlement offered some security, but no apology was ever given. This absence of acknowledgment remains one of the deepest injustices families face in medical negligence cases.
Bernadette was just 68 years old. Her family continues to grieve, and her case stands as a stark reminder of the consequences of failures in duty of care – and the importance of holding healthcare providers accountable.