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This article was published on June 24th, 2015
A Hospital has been found guilty of clinical negligence after failing to recognise clear signs of low blood sugars including floppiness and low birth weight after the birth. The child’s brain damage has been confirmed as being caused by midwife staff not identifying low blood sugar at birth. By failing to perform a blood glucose test shortly after the birth, the newborn therefore continued to suffer with the low blood sugar condition for two days which ultimately led to his birth injury.
The parents only became aware that something may be wrong after they took him to hospital after there were problems with his development in the early years. In fact the hospital only informed them of the birth injury four years after the birth.
The boy is now a thirteen year old and has severe autism and learning difficulties and will need 24-hour care for life. The High Court has awarded him a lifetime care settlement which is likely to be several million pounds as a lump sum and annual payments for the rest of his life.
His parents have struggled to deal with what has happened to their son and whilst happy that the case has finally been settled, they still feel bitter :
“His specialist eventually just muttered it was a neo-natal birth injury,” said his father.
“He was born fine, he just needed the care and he would have been OK.”
The high Court said:
“We have previously accepted that had the trust carried out adequate observations of… when he was born he would not have been discharged and sustained his subsequent brain injury,” it said.
“While no amount of money can compensate ..him or and his family, we hope that the resolution of this case can secure his future.”
The trust said it was very sorry for the distress caused to the boy and his family.
At Thorneycroft Solicitors we deal with a wide range of hospital negligence claims and a diverse range of medical injuries as a result of negligent medical care.
We offer a free initial interview in order to review your specific circumstances and assess the viability of your hospital compensation claim. After this, the majority of hospital claims are dealt with on a no win – no fee basis.
Call us now on 0330 333 7883 or complete our simple enquiry form.
