10-year-old Co antrim girl who suffered catastrophic brain damage at birth is to receive more than £5 million in damages.
The settlement reached in a medical negligence claim brought by her parents is one of the biggest ever of its kind in Northern Ireland.
They sued Belfast Health and Social Care Trust after she was starved of oxygen while being born at the royal Victoria Hospital Belfast in 2002.
The girl, who cannot be identified, was left with severe cerebral palsy and requires constant care. liability was finally accepted by the trust as the case was about to go to trial at the High Court in Belfast earlier this year. a compensation package in excess of £5 million was then approved by the judge during the summer.
The case centred on an allegation that the midwife failed to maintain proper, continuous foetal monitoring in the latter stages of delivery.
If that been carried out it is believed the unborn baby's distress due to a lack of oxygen would have
been detected immediately. responsibility for what went wrong was strenuously denied right up to the last minute, the family's solicitor said.
The case was only conceded following a forensic analysis of notes and records from the birth.
The family's lawyer, Brian Stewart, senior partner with o'reilly Stewart Solicitors, said they could have been spared serious stress if the true facts had been accepted sooner.
"It's a tragedy that this had to happen because of a short period of inattention," Mr Stewart said.
"This child could have been delivered completely healthy and these very large sums would not be necessary for her care and providing a reasonable home in the future."
He stressed the award was small consolation for the girl's parents.
"They see only too well what might have been - her personality shines through despite her disability.
"Her teacher describes her as a lovely girl and a joy to teach."
Praise was also given for the backing which enabled the family to bring their action.
"Without the support of legal aid this case could not have gone to court and a huge injustice would have occurred," Mr Stewart said.