After a protracted legal battle, the husband of Crystal Boodoo-Ramsoomair, who died while delivering her third child almost four years ago, has settled her medical negligence lawsuit.
Lorne Ramsoomair agreed to the settlement yesterday minutes before High Court Master Marissa Robertson was due to give her ruling on the compensation to be paid by the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA), which operates the San Fernando General Hospital where his wife died on March 4, 2011, after undergoing a caesarean section procedure.
Details of the settlement were not read in open court as it is the subject of a confidentiality agreement.
While SWRHA had accepted institutional liability for her death shortly after Ramsoomair filed the case in 2012, Ramsoomair was allowed to pursue a separate claim against the three doctors who treated his wife before her death.
As a result of the settlement, Ramsoomair agreed to withdraw the case against the SWRHA as well as against Drs Mondira Seenath, Deepavali Ramballack and Ashmeed Mohammed.
There was no mention of the settlement on Thursday, when High Court Judge Frank Seepersad set trial dates for the hearing of the case against the doctors in January next year. The dates will now have to be vacated and witnesses notified that they are no longer required to testify.
Ramsoomair had filed private criminal complaints against the three doctors for manslaughter after they unsuccessfully attempted to have themselves struck from the lawsuit after the SWRHA accepted liability. Earlier this year, he wrote to the authority asking for $3.5 million to withdraw both the civil and criminal cases against the doctors. Ramsoomair eventually discontinued the charges last month.
Ramsoomair was represented by Israel Khan, SC, Ravi Rajcoomar and Allister Khan, while Alvin Fitzpatrick, SC, and Jagdeo Singh represented the SWRHA and the doctors.