Northern Ireland

Girl starved of oxygen at birth to receive £5.3m in damages

The £5.3m settlement for a girl left profoundly disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth is one of the biggest of its kind
The £5.3m settlement for a girl left profoundly disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth is one of the biggest of its kind The £5.3m settlement for a girl left profoundly disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth is one of the biggest of its kind

A CO Antrim girl left profoundly disabled after being starved of oxygen at birth is to receive more than £5m in damages.

The settlement reached in the eight-year-old's compensation claim against the Northern Health and Social Care Trust is one of the biggest of its kind in Northern Ireland.

The child, who cannot be identified, suffered hypoxia due to a delay in her delivery at Antrim Area Hospital in 2007.

It resulted in a series of complex health issues, including severe cerebral palsy and complex epilepsy.

Her parents sued the trust, claiming medical negligence.

The case had been due to run as a five-day trial at the High Court in Belfast earlier this month.

But full liability was admitted a week before the listed hearing date.

Madam Justice McBride yesterday approved the terms of the resolution between the parties.

A total pay-out in the region of £5.3m has been agreed.

That figure covers damages and the costs of past and future care for the child.

Speaking outside the court her lawyer, Beth Allen of McCartan Turkington Breen Solicitors, said: "The parents have been caring for their daughter for the last eight years without financial assistance.

"They are relieved that the claim has been settled in their daughter's favour."

Ms Allen added: "This settlement will enable them now to provide a greater level of care for the rest of their daughter's life."