In 2011, Robert Bolton suffered a cardiac arrest shortly after undergoing a surgical procedure on his esophagus.
As a result, Robert suffered brain damage and has been in a coma ever since, although he has regained some physical movement.
His wife Angela suspected that the deterioration of his health could have been avoided and was recently awarded €500,000 in compensation on Robert's behalf.
Speaking on the Pat Kenny Show, Angela explains the events which preceded the cardiac arrest:
''I couldn't really get in to see him. What seemed to be happening was he was in a lot of pain. It was a very invasive surgery and they were trying to get his pain medication right.''
Angela later received a phone call from a nurse, who told her that Robert had suffered a cardiac arrest after his lungs filled up with mucus, thus cutting off the oxygen supply to his heart. A few weeks later, it was discovered that Robert had developed brain damage.
Listen in tomorrow at 10 am @PatKennyNT to our David O'Malley and client Angela Bolton discuss a recent case pic.twitter.com/4FzSws6AXF
— Callan Tansey (@CallanTansey) April 4, 2016
''It was pretty catastrophic but I didn't want to give up hope. It was probably instinct but I knew Bob was a very healthy man. (He) didn't smoke, barely had a drink and looked after himself incredibly well. He was determined to get well after the operation.''
Angela went on to employ the services of Callan Tansey solicitors to try and establish the cause of Robert's sudden turn of ill-health.
''One of the reasons I went for legal aid was because I really wanted to find out what happened and I didn't feel I was being told that quite frankly. That was my main motivation. When they admitted partial liability, to me that sounds like being a little bit pregnant. I really feel he should be at home with me now and not needing 24-hour a day care.''
Solicitor David O'Malley of Callan Tansey, who accompanied Angela in Newstalk studio, told Pat that a litigation process uncovered that Robert's oxygen levels were quite low after he was transferred from the operating room to the intensive care unit.
Listen to the full interview here
