Family Relieved As Lifetime Care Costs Will Be Taken Care Of

A nine-year-old boy from Stockton-on-Tees is to receive a multi-million pound settlement after mistakes made during his birth led to him sustaining cerebral palsy and needing specialist care for the rest of his life.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered delays in his delivery at birth and will need 24-hour care and now needs expert therapies and rehabilitation as well as help with everyday tasks such as dressing. He is prone to falling when trying to walk and relies on a wheelchair for longer distances. He also has problems with his speech and difficulties eating which means he needs constant supervision.

His parents instructed specialist serious injury and medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, which has a consulting office in Middlesbrough, to investigate the care provided to them at the University Hospital of North Tees.

At the time of his birth North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust admitted it was liable for his injuries in situations of this nature medical experts involved in the case wait until it is clearer what the child’s long term care needs will be before filing their final reports.

Now, at a High Court hearing in Newcastle today (21/07/2015), the judge approved a settlement of £6.7m which includes an up-front lump sum to cover the cost of specialist equipment and adaptations to the family home. The settlement also includes regular payments for the rest of his life to pay for his ongoing care needs.

The boy’s family, from Stockton-on-Tees, said in a statement: “It’s such a relief that we have now agreed a settlement which will help our son to be able to develop and live as independently as possible for the rest of his life.

“He will have access to specialist equipment to enable him to move around and we will also now be able to adapt our family home so that it can meet his needs better in the immediate and long term future.

“We were let down on the day he was born and we will live with the consequences forever. We took legal action for two reasons: we wanted to know what went wrong in his care and we wanted to know that his future treatment and care would be secure. Nothing can turn back the clock but this settlement gives our son the best chance of making progress.”

If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of cerebral palsy, we may be able to help you claim compensation. See our Medical Negligence Guide for more information.