A coroner has found no issues with the care of a woman who died five days after a head-on car crash just south of Owaka in 2016.
Catlins woman Heather Burgess (81) walked from the wreck on April 19, 2016, after a head-on collision between her vehicle and a car driven by Canadian man Christopher Prince, which crossed the centre line.
She was admitted to Clutha Health First in Balclutha with injuries described by coroner David Robinson in his findings released this week as "not immediately life-threatening".
She later walked to greet relatives at the front door of the hospital. However, her condition deteriorated and she was transferred to Dunedin Hospital on the morning of April 23 with a chest infection and low blood pressure. Her condition continued to worsen as the infection spread to both lungs. She died the following morning.
Mr Robinson’s inquiry found a chest fracture was the trigger for a serious of complications that arose following her admission to hospital Despite one of the doctors involved in her treatment acknowledging his notes might have misled another doctor who administered inappropriate treatment for Mrs Burgess’ hypoxia (a lack of oxygen reaching tissues), that was discounted by the coroner on advice from Louise Finnel, a consultant at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland. Dr Finnel observed Mrs Burgess had a significant number of pre-existing conditions, including previous heart failure and high blood pressure. The coroner found an elderly woman with these conditions plus a chest fracture had a very high risk of death and made no recommendation.
Prince was convicted of careless driving causing death, disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence for one year, fined $1500 and ordered to pay reparation of $13,500.
- George Block