The High Court has heard there was an alleged ten-hour delay in treating a 78-year-old woman who later died after attending an emergency department after a fall.
Frances Farrell was attending an event on 11 December 2019 when she was struck on the head by metal and fell from a five-foot stage to the ground.
She was taken to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown but her lawyers said she was not medically reviewed until the early hours of the next day.
Mrs Farrell had arrived at the hospital complaining of pain in her mid-spine and had a cut on the back of her head. She was alert but could not remember the incident, the court heard.
It was claimed she was triaged as Category 3 but should have had an urgent medical review.
Hospital notes indicated Mrs Farrell was given medication, had an ECG and was under observation.
After her condition deteriorated she was given a CT scan of the brain and was transferred to the neurosurgery department at another hospital at around 6am.
She underwent an urgent procedure but there had been an extensive injury to the brain stem and she died on 22 December 2019.
The Farrell family's counsel Alistair Rutherdale BL told the High Court it was their case that there was an alleged ten-hour delay in medically assessing Mrs Farrell and her condition deteriorated.
He said by the time she was seen, the position was "irreversible".
Her son Kevin Farrell of Lucan, Co Dublin had on behalf of his father Edward and the Farrell family sued the HSE.
In their High Court action, the family claimed there was a failure at Connolly Hospital to carry out a full and complete triage process on the pensioner.
They say it should have been considered that she was a person who had been struck by heavy objects, had fallen from a stage and was on blood-thinning medications and was a clear risk of a brain hematoma.
All the claims were denied and settlement, which has not been disclosed, was made after mediaton.
The case was before the court for the division of the statutory mental distress payment of €35,000
