£3.5M Compensation Payout For 17 Year Old With CP
A County Down teenager who suffered severe brain damage at birth is to receive as much as £3.5m in compensation.
The health board which was sued over a botched delivery procedure has agreed to the payout to settle a 17-year legal fight.
It is believed to be one of the largest settlements of its kind in NI.
The youth was left with cerebral palsy after being starved of oxygen at the Ulster Hospital, Dundonald in 1992.
The teenager cannot be named for legal reasons.
His parents brought a case against the former Eastern Health and Social Services Board by claiming medical negligence during his birth.
They alleged he was in a distressed state within his mother’s womb and should have been delivered sooner.
Delaying the procedure deprived him of oxygen and caused brain injuries, it was contended.
After pursuing their claim for years, an action was due to be heard at the High Court in Belfast.
But following negotiations a settlement was reached by consent with the EHSSB’s successor, the regional Health and Social Care Board.
As part of the resolution the authority is to pay a lump sum of nearly £1.5m to the 17-year-old.
It has also agreed to annual payments of £115,000 to meet care costs for the rest of his life.
The family’s solicitor, Ernie Telford of Belfast law firm McCartan Turkington Breen, predicted what the eventual scale of damages would be.
He said: “The two figures together are likely to give a total settlement of around £3.5m.
“The boy’s mother and father are absolutely delighted with the outcome. This is a vindication for their 17-year legal battle,” he said.
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