Medical Negligence Lawyers And Widow Call For Lessons To Be Learned Following Inquest

The grieving widow of a 29-year-old dad who died after a GP didn’t provide him with “robust” advice to attend A&E is calling for lessons to be learned.

Michael Reynolds, from Boston, Lincolnshire, spoke to a GP on 29 November, 2023, complaining of a cough of around two to three months along with a sore and swollen throat.  He was prescribed a steroid nasal spray and referred for a chest x-ray.

However, his symptoms worsened and the following morning he was offered an urgent in-person appointment.  He was seen by a different GP, and reported being unable to eat or swallow, and that his throat was closing up. He had a high fever and was spitting into a bowl because he was unable to swallow his saliva.

He was diagnosed with tonsillitis and prescribed oral antibiotics. While there was a question around attending A&E, it was not made clear to Michael that he needed to go straight away, an inquest was told.

HGV driver Michael and his wife Charlotte went to the pharmacy to collect the medication that he had been prescribed, then went home. Later that morning, he collapsed and had a seizure.  Charlotte called an ambulance and Michael was taken to hospital.  He died the following morning.

Widow instructs medical negligence lawyers to investigate husband's death

Following her husband’s death in December 2023, Charlotte, 31, instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his care and help provide her with answers.

Charlotte and her legal team are now calling for lessons to be learned.  It comes after an inquest at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court concluded Michael died from a hypoxic cardiac arrest related to an upper airway obstruction and epiglottitis – swelling of the flap that covers the windpipe when swallowing.

The coroner found there was a ‘missed opportunity’ for the GP to provide Michael with “robust advice” to go to A&E immediately when he was seen at the surgery.  She added that had Michael presented at A&E, there would have been sufficient concern about his history and observations to have transferred him to resus early on. It was also recognised that staff there would likely be more familiar with symptoms of epiglottitis.

'Missed opportunity' to provide treatment which would have saved dad's life

As a result, there was a ‘missed opportunity’ to have provided treatment which, on the balance of probabilities, would have saved Michael’s life.

Rosie Charlton is the expert medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Charlotte. 

Expert Opinion

“This is a truly tragic case where a young dad has lost his life. Charlotte and the rest of Michael’s family are understandably struggling to come to terms with losing him so suddenly and unexpectedly, and under such circumstances.

“They’ve also had a number of concerns about the events that unfolded in the lead up to Michael’s death. Worryingly, the inquest has validated those concerns.

“While we’re pleased to have been able to secure the answers that Michael’s family deserve, it’s now vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety and help prevent others from suffering in the way Michael did.

“We’ll continue to support Charlotte and her son Jacob at this distressing time.” Rosie Charlton

Devastated wife pays tribute to husband and raises awareness around epiglottitis

Michael died on 1 December 2023.  He’s survived by Charlotte and their three-year-old son Jacob.

Charlotte said: “Watching Jacob grow up without his daddy by his side is devastating and we miss Michael every single day.

“Michael meant everything to us and losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never go away.  We’d do anything to bring him back.

“The inquest and reliving everything again has been particularly upsetting, but at least I now have some answers as to why Michael’s no longer with us and I will be able to explain this to Jacob when he is old enough to understand.

“All I can hope for now is that by sharing our story, it can lead to improvements in care for others and more awareness around the signs of epiglottitis and the need for emergency treatment, as it’s something I’d never even heard of before.

“I wouldn’t want anyone going through what we have.”

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