By Lucy Caulkett-
A young girl who will be disabled for life following her traumatic birth at a Great Yarmouth hospital will receive millions in damages from the NHS, the eye of media.com have heard.
The seven-year-old suffered a serious brain injury after her birth at the James Hospital in 2009.
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She was left with severe disabilities, and will need 24 hours care for the rest of her life, as a consequence.
Through her mother, the girl sued the James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that manages the hospital , and accused them of negligence.
St.James hospital NHS trust agreed a settlement the case, avoiding the need for a trial, by paying a £2.1m lump sum.
The girl will in addition receive index-linked and tax-free payments of £95,000-a-year to cover the costs of her care for life. Her payments will increase to £110,000-a-year when she gets older and her care needs increase. It is so sad when negligence has a life long effect on a human being.
Money cannot fully compensate the level of carelessness involved, and the damage done. All it does is help address a life sentence imposed on the poor girl by very careless doctors.
The settlement from St. James hospital trust was approved at the High Court on Monday by Mr Justice Edis
Alexander Hutton, representing the St. James hospital NHS trust, apologised to the girl and her family, expressing regret for the serious failure that has cost a child a whole future of comfort.
“I would like to make an apology on behalf of the trust, in relation to the failures of care that led to the claimant’s very grave injuries and severe disabilities. “We are extremely sorry that that happened in the trust’s care.”
Hutton told the court there had been a “great deal of soul searching” in the hospital’s midwifery and obstetrics departments following the girl’s birth, and that St. James Hospital NHS trust has done its best to ensure there is no repeat of the failings.
The apology from St.James NHS hospital trust, even if accepted, comes too late. The damage is done and its future children who will benefit from any lessons learnt.
Mr Justice Edis said the full lump sum could be delayed due to a possible change in legal guidelines, but that the girl will receive some money immediately to fund her care.
He added: “She urgently needs the professional assistance which is going to be funded by these payments.”
The settlement will improve the girls life, but its her mother who will ultimately benefit from the settlement. What a big shame!