Priya is fighting for justice on two fronts for her husband Sunil
05:00, 22 Sep 2025Updated 17:42, 23 Sep 2025
Sunil, left, was married to his wife, Priya, for 14 years and leaves behind two children.(Image: Sanjeev Shukla)
A woman whose life in Bristol came to an abrupt end when her husband died suddenly, is taking legal action against Southmead Hospital over allegations of serious failings in the care staff provided to him. In what her lawyers described as a ‘doubly tragic case’, Priya Rastogi is taking on North Bristol NHS Trust over the circumstances around the death of her husband Sunil in February this year.
Mrs Rastogi is now embroiled in two legal battles: one against the hospital trust where her husband died, and a second against the UK Government, after she was told she and their children could no longer live in Bristol, because her status was tied to her husband’s work visa.
Bristol Live first revealed the shocking story of what happened to the Rastogi family back in March, just weeks after Sunil’s sudden death.
Sunil had a job as a high-level IT worker, and a work visa that enabled his wife Priya and their daughter to join him. The family settled down in Charlton Hayes, and their daughter, who is now aged seven, was at Almondsbury Primary School, and had been living in the city for almost four years.
The couple had a second child, a boy, but just weeks later, their life in Bristol came to a sudden halt when Sunil had stomach pains and was so ill that the NHS 111 service recommended he call 999, early on the morning of February 17 this year. Paramedics took Sunil to hospital, but within hours he died.
After the funeral in India, the devastated family were then told they couldn’t return to the UK. “Our lives are there. My daughter is in school, all our belongings, everything we own was in our home,” said Priya.
With the Home Office refusing to budge, Priya had to take the heartbreaking decision to give up the tenancy on their rented home, and arrange for all their stuff to be stored at a friend’s home instead.
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“My daughter remembers her life in Bristol,” she told Bristol Live. “She is only seven, but she comes to me and talks about it. She says she dreams about being in school, and being with her friends. It’s heartbreaking,” Priya added.
While the ongoing appeals and legal challenges that the family hope will allow Priya and her daughters to return to their lives in Bristol continue, they have begun legal proceedings against North Bristol NHS Trust for medical negligence in their treatment of Sunil that fateful morning on February 17.
Sunil called paramedics who eventually decided to take him to hospital. Southmead Hospital has some of the longest ambulance handover wait times in the country, and the wait outside was around 45 minutes before he was handed over to A&E staff.
Sunil Rastogi, 40, passed away at Southmead Hospital after what his family allege was a lack of seriousness.(Image: Sanjeev Shukla)
“The paramedics did an ECG on his heart at home, and the read out went with him to hospital. It showed abnormal results, and would have told the hospital that he needed urgent treatment. It was lying on the floor next to his bed the whole time and no one looked at it,” said Priya.
Tragically, at around noon, after being in the hospital for just under two hours, Sunil suffered an aortic dissection. He was rushed to intensive care, but sadly died.
Just a few weeks after his death, North Bristol NHS Trust’s chief nursing officer, Professor Steve Hams, said it had started a ‘comprehensive review’ of the case.
“Firstly, we would like to offer our deepest condolences to Sunil’s family following their loss,” he said at the time, back in March.
Images of ambulances outside Southmead Hospital(Image: Bristol Live)
“I want to acknowledge the profound impact this has had on them and assure them, and the wider public, that we take this matter with the utmost seriousness.
“As a result of Sunil’s death, we have already started a comprehensive review to understand the full circumstances of what happened. However, at this stage, it would not be appropriate to pre-empt any conclusions. We are committed to working alongside all parties involved, including Sunil’s family.
“We would also like to reassure everyone that patient safety remains our absolute priority at North Bristol NHS Trust. This review will help us to not only understand what happened but also to ensure that we continue to deliver the highest standard of care for every patient who comes through our doors. We remain committed to learning and improving wherever necessary,” he added.
After receiving that review, and a similar investigation by South West Ambulance Trust, Enable Law has taken on Priya’s case, saying there were serious questions to answer. “Priya’s story is a tragic one,” said legal director Jackie Linehan.
Jackie Linehan, the legal director at Enable Law(Image: Enable Law)
“Not only has she lost her husband, and her children have lost their father, but she has also lost her home as a consequence of her husband’s death.
“We are doing all that we can to support Priya and are investigating a possible claim for delay in diagnosis and treatment of a serious condition, aortic dissection. We hope to get answers for Priya about why Sunil died and to obtain some financial security for Priya and her young family.
“The ambulance trust and hospital have both investigated the circumstances around Sunil’s death and identified opportunities missed.
“We are in the process of consulting with independent medical experts to understand more about what happened and how we can help Priya and her family in this life changing stage of their lives,” she added.
A fundraiser has been set up to support Priya and her family following Sunil’s death.(Image: Sanjeev Shukla)
In March, tens of thousands of pounds were raised both in north Bristol and back in India to support the Rastogi family. Now, Priya has launched a petition as part of the second campaign to be allowed to return to the UK and their lives in Bristol.
Mark Goninon, the director of nursing at North Bristol NHS Trust, said this week: “We repeat our deepest condolences to Sunil’s family following their loss and we acknowledge the profound impact this has had on them.”