Family pay tribute to opera singer after Coroner records narrative verdict
21/09/2010
The family of an international opera singer has paid tribute to their "bubbly and humorous" daughter after a coroner's inquest into her death returned a narrative verdict.
Amy Black, from Hedon near Hull, died aged just 36 of fatal cardiac arrhythmia following heart surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London in November 2009.
Ms Black was looking forward to a long and promising career as an international opera singer when she initially consulted her doctor in July 2009, four months before her death, after complaining of heart problems. Her doctor found no problems and she was discharged for a further 12 months.
The Coroner's inquest also heard that she was seen by two individual GPs on 12 November and 17 November 2009 after complaining of a shortness of breath on exertion, a dry cough and chest wall pain, but again no problems were detected and she was not sent for further investigations.
The inquest found that the blood supply to Ms Black's heart had become restricted by 80 per cent stenosis (narrowing) of the coronary arteries, which had developed in the short period of time after she underwent surgery on 3 June 2009 to replace her aortic valve.
Despite all of the witness evidence heard at the two day inquest, including expert evidence from two independent medical witnesses instructed by the Coroner, Mr Saul was unable to reach any conclusion as to why the stenosis had developed so quickly after surgery.
Medical negligence solicitors at Irwin Mitchell are now working on behalf of Ms Black to investigate whether her medical treatment contributed to her death. This investigation aims to provide the family with the answers they need and help to ensure that no other family has to suffer a similar tragedy.
Linda Black, Amy’s mother, said: "Amy was a vivacious, bubbly and humorous girl with an unbelievable talent for singing, but sadly her life and career were cut short. Nothing can ever be done to bring Amy back to us."
In his verdict, Mr Saul explained how Amy had died on 24 November 2009 due to a fatal cardiac arrhythmia, which came about as a result of insufficient blood flow in her heart.
Margaret Ryan, the family's solicitor at law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "Unfortunately questions still remain unanswered as to why Amy developed the 80 per cent stenosis which led to her death.
"However I hope the inquest has gone someway to providing the family with some of the answers to their questions about why Amy died."
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