£24m settlement for child with cerebral palsy in missed pre-eclampsia case at Stepping Hill Hospital
Despite a family history of pre-eclampsia, when the baby's mother attended a routine ante-natal appointment at her GP surgery, staff failed to act on clear indications of pre-eclampsia including swelling of her fingers, ankles and feet, headache and concerns over reduced fetal movement.
Rather than referring the mother immediately to Stepping Hill Hospital that morning, as she should have done, the attending midwife sent the mother home with instructions for her to attend hospital for an appointment the midwife made for 5.30pm. The mother felt increasingly unwell during the afternoon and went to hospital for her pre-arranged appointment as she had been advised.
There was then a further delay of more than three hours in delivering the baby by emergency caesarean, despite a CTG indicating pathological changes in the baby's heart rate and deterioration in the mother's condition. Due to this delay, the baby suffered hypoxic ischaemia resulting in cerebral palsy.
Evidence showed that had the mother been referred to hospital immediately by the midwife, the baby would have been delivered by 2pm and would likely not have been injured.
The child, now 11 years old, suffers severe learning difficulties, epilepsy and behavioural problems, is fed via gastrostomy and requires full waking night care and 2:1 care during the day.
Jenny successfully achieved an award of compensation, including annual payments for care and case management, equivalent to a lump sum of £24m. The settlement will fund appropriate care, therapies, equipment and adapted accommodation for the child.
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For further information about cerebral palsy claims and birth injury claims, please call Jenny Urwin on 03304606776 or email jenny.urwin@fieldfisher.com.
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