A Calwell woman is suing The Canberra Hospital and two doctors, alleging she was left in a wheelchair and with permanent brain damage as a result of their negligence.
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Stacey Louise Cave, 40, a former teacher, had suffered migraines since she was a teenager. The alleged breaches of duty of care stem from treatment of these headaches.
The alleged breaches are mostly denied, and on Monday hearings began before a dozen lawyers and barristers and a packed public gallery in the ACT Supreme Court.
Ms Cave had since the late 1990s been taking the migraine drug Deseril, prescribed by Woden general practitioner Brenda Jean Tait and a consulting neurologist.
The neurologist had ensured Ms Cave's use of the drug included "Deseril holidays", roughly four week breaks every five months, designed to reduce the known circulatory risks from uninterrupted use.
When the neurologist retired in 2007, Dr Tait referred Ms Cave to another neurologist, Colin James Andrews in Deakin, where it's alleged prescription of the drug continued, without holidays.
Ms Cave is suing Dr Tait and Dr Andrews.
It's alleged that by September 2011, Ms Cave, who was a teacher at Garran Primary School, had been taking Deseril for four years without a break.
It was that September when problems began.
In his opening address on Monday, Ms Cave's barrister David Campbell SC told the ACT Supreme Court Ms Cave had suffered daily headaches as well as migraines, and was familiar with the symptoms.
"This was something different," he told the court.
Over a number of visits to Dr Tait and the emergency department, Ms Cave complained of symptoms including blurry vision, dizziness, pounding in the ear and weak limbs. It's alleged both Dr Tait and the hospital failed to pick up on the possibility Deseril was the cause.
At one appointment, Dr Tait referred Ms Cave to an optometrist, who recorded Ms Cave's vision as worse than the night before and concluded: "Frankly - these findings are a mystery".
It's alleged the migraine drug was not considered.
"Hello? What about the Deseril? We better cut the tap. Well unfortunately, that doesn't happen," Mr Campbell said.
Ms Cave's condition worsened. On October 11, she suffered a "horrible stroke" in hospital, Mr Campbell said.
"Astonishingly, we submit, she gets more Deseril for breakfast and dinner on the 13th."
It's alleged Ms Cave's injuries could have been avoided if Dr Tait and Dr Andrews had ensured she took "Deseril holidays". It's further alleged injury could have been avoided if the hospital had considered her symptoms were due to Deseril earlier, had stopped prescription of the drug after her stroke, or if the hospital or Dr Tait had referred Ms Cave to a neurologist earlier on in the piece.
Dr Andrews and the hospital deny they breached their duty of care. Dr Tait denies some of the allegations, but Mr Campbell said Dr Tait had "to her credit" made admissions regarding the alleged failure to ensure Ms Cave took "Deseril holidays", as well as an alleged failure to refer Ms Cave on following the optometrist's report.
Ms Cave is claiming damages, including for care, for lost income and for modifications to her home, as well as for special equipment, and transport needs in the form of a special, modified vehicle.
Lawyers for Ms Cave declined to provide a figure.
The hearing continues before Justice John Burns.
