Victory for journalist in battle over wife's death

A British journalist won a victory yesterday in his attempt to prove medical negligence led to his wife's death in a Hong Kong hospital.

Harinder Veriah, 33, who was married to Martin Jacques, the former editor of Marxism Today, suffered an epileptic fit on New Year's Day 2000 while working as a lawyer for the City firm Lovells. She was taken to Tang Shiu Kin Hospital and was transferred to Ruttonjee Hospital but suffered another fit early on January 2 and died. An inquest in Hong Kong recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. Mr Jacques, a former deputy editor of The Independent, said the Ruttonjee Hospital had treated his wife negligently.

In evidence from the Hong Kong inquest read to a court in London yesterday, Dr Wong Ming-ho of the Ruttonjee Hospital said Ms Veriah had been given Valium after a second fit but had remained unconscious.

Two pathologists, one from Hong Kong and one from Britain, could not find anything wrong with Ms Veriah, who was of Malaysian Indian descent, and were unable to give a cause of death. One theory was she may had a reaction to Valium. Professor Joe Collier of St George's Hospital, Tooting, a friend of the couple, said a drug that could reverse the effects of Valium was not given.

The St Pancras coroner, Dr Stephen Chan, recording an open verdict, said: "There is a question to be addressed as to the level of care in those last 20 minutes and, indeed, the management and level of care given ... in the brief stay in hospital."

Mr Jacques said the coroner's verdict and remarks were "as good as they could be".