Emma Mhic Mhathúna, one of the women at the center of the Irish cervical check scandal, has settled her case with the Irish health executive and a US laboratory.
A Kerrywoman who is now terminally ill after receiving a misdiagnosis from Ireland’s cervical check service has settled her case with the Health Service Executive and the US laboratory used by CervicalCheck to process the results.
Receiving $8.7 million (€7.5 million) in total, Mhic Mhathúna will immediately receive over a million to allow her to purchase a home for her family as she faces her terminal cancer.
In 2013, Emma Mhic Mhathúna was told that her cervical check was normal but it wasn’t. The doctors returned to her in 2016 to tell her that the check was inaccurate and she has now developed terminal cancer because it was not caught in time.
Read more: Irishwoman who wasn’t told she had cancer on telling her children she is dying
I was determined to find justice for my children - Emma Mhic Mhathúna pic.twitter.com/RJN5jDF9Po
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) June 29, 2018
The mother of five was just one of 209 women who was inaccurately told that their cervical check was normal. It was recently revealed that 17 of these women have since died of cancer.
While a full hearing of Mhic Mhathúna’s case was due to take place on Friday, the judge was told that a settlement was close to being reached. When the case was called again, a settlement had been reached, with the HSE accepting liability for failing to tell the Kerrywoman of her misdiagnosis when an audit first took place. The US lab Quest Diagnostics also accepted liability for misreading the smear test.
Read more: Ireland’s bravest woman faces deadly cancer battle she should not be fighting
Emma Mhic Mhathuna say admission of liability was important for "all women". Her victory "demonstrates the power of standing up for yourself." pic.twitter.com/z299OBoinH
— Michael Lanigan (@MichaelWLanigan) June 29, 2018
"Whether I'm dying or not, justice is the priority here and I wasn't going to come into court a victim, I came a victor,” Mhic Mathúna said after the settlement, adding that she just wished to look after her children, aged between two years old and 16.
Emma Mhic Mhathuna settles her case for €7.5m. An "astronomical figure" she told the court.
— Michael Lanigan (@MichaelWLanigan) June 29, 2018
HSE admit liability for failing to disclose audit findings. US lab Quest Diagnostics admit liability for misreading smear tests. https://t.co/XzunUAGPl8 pic.twitter.com/Pd1Ca3cWhK
She also welcomed the apology from Quest Diagnostics, saying: "the higher the money and the more apologies they have to give the greater chance that Quest Diagnostics will make changes."
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