The family an 18-year-old Limerick woman who died after sustaining massive blood loss and an injury to her aorta during surgery at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) have launched four High Court actions against the Health Service Executive. Jessica Sheedy, a beauty therapist from Bruff, Co Limerick, died on May 11th, 2018, just days after suffering multiple-organ failure from complications which arose during surgery to remove a benign tumour from her abdomen.Jessica’s mother Ann is seeking aggravated and exemplary damages over the death of her daughter when the cases go on at the Four Courts at the end of this month.Patrick Treacy, counsel for the Sheedys, instructed by Niamh Ní Mhurchú of Callan Tansey solicitors, told the High Court on Wednesday the claim for aggravated and exemplary damages relates to the alleged lack of clinical governance at UHL at the time and the alleged deficits in the investigation which was carried out by the HSE after the young woman’s death.The claim for exemplary or aggravated damages is disputed by the HSE.Asking for the actions to be case managed by Judge Paul Coffey, counsel said there were “extremely serious issues” regarding clinical governance in the case and “two parents seeking accountability” .Ann Sheedy has, on behalf of her family, sued the HSE over her daughter’s death. She along with her husband, James, and son Adam (25) have also lodged nervous shock actions over Jessica’s death.Counsel told the court the surgeon involved has since entered guilty pleas before the Medical Council fitness-to-practise committee on 10 counts of poor professional performance and three counts of professional misconduct relating to Jessica’s care at UHL.The HSE has also admitted a breach of duty and causation in the case and the court heard it issued an apology to the Sheedys.In a grounding affidavit to the High Court, Ní Mhurchú said it had been eight years since Jessica’s tragic death. She said her family “have endured agonising delay in the procurement of all relevant information in respect of the circumstances of Jessica’s death and the investigation which took place”.In her claim for aggravated and exemplary damages, Ann Sheedy claims Jessica and her family were allegedly misled as to the surgeon’s experience and expertise to carry out the surgery.It is further claimed there was an alleged failure to make changes to the planned surgery despite a CAT scan which showed that the benign tumour was adjacent to the aorta and that vascular surgery involvement was required.There was an alleged failure, it is claimed, to call for immediate assistance and there was a continuing with attempting to dissect the tumour even after massive bleeding had been caused.The operation, it was claimed, was video recorded without the prior consent or knowledge of Jessica.Referring to the HSE investigation and systems analysis review, it is claimed there was an alleged failure to give the report to the Sheedys. It had been published 17 months after Jessica’s death without the family being shown a draft or having requested their input. It is further claimed there was an alleged failure to correct inaccurate information in the aystems analysis review report and there was an alleged failure to obtain statements from all relevant persons and medical witnesses who could have provided important factual information had allegedly been left out.All of these claims are denied.The judge granted the Sheedy application for case management. The actions will come back before the court again on July 21st.