Coroner investigates death of Stowmarket woman

Posted 10/12/2009

Bury St Edmunds Coroner Peter Dean will, on 15 and 16 December, be investigating the death of Mrs Lilian Sweetman, a 58 year old woman from Stowmarket who died on 15 April 2009.

Mrs Sweetman had been on holiday in Egypt and on her return developed a swelling in her right calf. As the swelling did not subside she went to the Accident and Emergency Department at West Suffolk Hospital on 5 April. Initial diagnosis was of a suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis but when an ultrasound scan was performed the following day Mrs Sweetman was told that there was no evidence of this. A doctor advised her that she was probably suffering from thrombophlebitis, recommended analgesia and antibiotics, and advised her to go to her GP if her symptoms did not respond to treatment by the end of the week. Her leg remained swollen. Return visits to the GP surgery resulted in further treatment for thrombophlebitis and agreement that her leg might need to be re-examined to check for Deep Vein Thrombosis. Unfortunately, before this further examination took place, Mrs Sweetman suffered breathing difficulties and subsequently a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to hospital from which she did not recover.

Mrs Sweetman’s widower, Robert, will be represented at the inquest by David Bennett of Counsel on behalf of Ashtons Legal Solicitors, whose clinical negligence specialist Sharon Allison, comments:

“We are here on behalf of Robert to assist the Coroner with a view to establishing all the facts and circumstances surrounding Lilian Sweeetman’s tragic death”.