Money Will Fund Specialist Lifetime Care And Support Teenager Requires

A teenager who suffered severe vision loss due to medical errors when he was a child will now have access to the specialist lifetime support he requires after the High Court approved a settlement. 

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, previously had normal vision but developed a degenerative condition  due to errors in his medical treatment which mean he is now severely visually impaired. 

He has undergone over  50 operations in a bid to improve his sight, including a number of corneal transplants but these have been unsuccessful. 

The boy needs significant care and support with his education and all aspects of his day-to-day life.  His family instructed expert medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate his care. 

After a number of legal discussions an agreement was reached with the Hospital Trust regarding liability in 2020.  

The High Court has approved a financial settlement which will fund the specialist lifetime care, therapies and support the boy requires. 

Expert Opinion

“The lasting injuries our client suffered had had a profound impact on his life. Sadly despite the best efforts of surgeons his sight hasn’t improved. However our client is an extremely resilient young man and has continued to work hard on his studies. I am pleased that we have been able to achieve settlement for him as the money will help him access the support he needs to ensure he has a bright future”.

“The family would rather not be in this position but this settlement - which has been carefully calculated and approved by the High Court - means our client can now receive the lifetime care and support he requires because of his complex needs. We hope that today offers the family some closure and allows them to now concentrate on the future, with the case behind them.

“It’s also vital that lessons are learned from this case to improve patient safety.” Leena Savjani - Partner

The boy’s parents said: “Despite everything that’s happened, our son shows great bravery each day and is not defined by his disability. He has a very positive outlook on life and is keen to achieve his dreams and goals irrespective of his vision problems. We are incredibly proud of him. 

“While nothing can make up for what has happened, we’re relieved that our child is now guaranteed to receive the lifetime of support that he will need. This gives us peace of mind and allows us to start putting a difficult time behind us.

“We just hope that no other family has to go through the suffering we have been through and patient safety is improved.”

Find out more about our expertise in supporting people and their families following issues in care at our dedicated medical negligence section. Alternatively to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.