The High Court found that the surgeon had failed to halt the operation despite clear signs that the spinal cord was at risk.
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Rebecca seeks several million pounds in compensation to pay for the round-the-clock care that she will require for the rest of her life.
Rebecca was admitted to The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in 2006 to undergo the operation which would correct the curvature of her spine (scoliosis), a condition which in this case was caused by a genetic condition - Prader-Willi Syndrome.
Throughout the operation she was connected to a monitor to detect nerve signals in the spinal cord. The purpose of these signals was to alert the surgeon to the possibility that damage was being done to the spinal cord and to allow him to take remedial action to ensure that any such damage was not permanent.
Following the procedure Rebecca was initially unable to move her arms. Over the following hours, the paralysis spread to her legs and then her chest until she was no longer able to breathe without a ventilator. She had previously enjoyed a very active life but now requires, and will require for the rest of her life, round-the-clock care from two carers.
Rebecca's parents, Julia and Andy Ling, instructed Jonathan Zimmern, medical negligence barrister at law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse, in a claim against The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. The claim was funded by Legal Aid.
The High Court ruled that the surgeon had been negligent in continuing to operate once the signals dropped so dramatically for the second time. The claim is now being quantified but is likely to run to several million pounds. The hospital is appealing against the ruling.
Read Rebecca's full case study can be read on our website.