NHS Trust agree to pay millions in damages for boy who suffered brain injury at birth
Hospital bosses have agreed to pay millions of pounds to help cover care costs for a six-year-old boy who suffered brain damage at birth.
A lawyer representing the boy gave details of a damages agreement to a judge at a High Court hearing in London on Tuesday.
Barrister Edward Bishop QC told Mrs Justice Lambert that bosses at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust had agreed to a £5.8 million lump sum plus regular payments throughout the boy’s life.
He said the package could top £20 million if the boy lives as long as some doctors think he might.
The judge was told that trust bosses had apologised for “failings in care” during the boy’s birth
Mrs Justice Lambert approved the settlement.
She said the youngster could not be identified in media reports of the case.
Mr Bishop gave no detail of the boy’s disabilities.
He indicated that one of the boy’s shoulders had become stuck during delivery – a problem known as “shoulder dystocia”.
The boy’s mother had experienced a similar problem when giving birth to another child.
Mr Bishop indicated that staff had not appreciated the difficulties the woman had experienced when previously giving birth and had not talked though delivery options, including a caesarean section, with her.
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