Fall from electronic scooter did not cause Castlebar fatality, inquest told
The man fell off his electronic scooter after suffering a cardiac event.
An inquest has been opened into the death of a man who suffered a cardiac event while driving an electronic scooter in Castlebar.
The inquest at Swinford Courthouse was told that Gda Brendan Dooher attended the scene of an incident at Spencer Street, Castlebar on December 11 last. Thomas Coady, aged 52, of Tara Court Apartments, Castlebar was found in a state of cardiac arrest. He had been using an electronic scooter at the time.
Mr Coady received treatment and was transferred to Mayo University Hospital where he received further treatment in the intensive care unit. He was pronounced dead the following day, December 12, at 7.39pm.
A post-mortem examination conducted by consultant pathologist Dr Tamas Németh found inflammation in Mr Coady’s lungs, an indication of pneumonia. Blood results showed a high dosage of prescribed drugs including tramadol, codeine and gabapentin, which Dr Nemeth’s colleague Dr Fedel Bennani told the inquest would cause a "suppression" of the central nervous system.
Dr Bennani said the fall from the electronic scooter was not a contributory factor in Mr Coady’s death. He said the medical cause of death was respiratory failure due to acute aspiration pneumonia combined with a drug overdose from the prescribed drugs.
Coroner Pat O’Connor said Mr Coady, a mechanic, had been in the United States but moved to Castlebar, where he had family connections. Dr O’Connor adjourned the verdict to a later date as a Garda file into Mr Coady’s death remains outstanding.
