Court Approves Eight-Figure Settlement for Girl Injured at Birth

The High Court has approved a settlement worth almost £17 million in a tragic case involving a girl who suffered a brain injury during her birth.

The girl was born in April 2019. Due to a number of clinical failures, she suffered fetal bradycardia, resulting in a brain injury which led to cerebral palsy, restricted mobility and impaired communication. Her injuries are permanent and she will require round-the-clock care for the rest of her life.

The NHS trust responsible for the hospital where she was born admitted responsibility for the failures and a settlement was proposed consisting of a lump sum of £5.75 million and six-figure annual payments for the girl's lifetime. The settlement has a capitalised value of just over £16.7 million.

As the girl is still a child, it was necessary for the Court to approve the settlement. The Court agreed that the amount and structure of the settlement were sensible from the girl's perspective and were within the range of damages that would have been awarded in court. There were clear advantages to annual payments forming part of the settlement, as the girl's lifetime needs could extend for many years.

Concluding that it was clearly in the girl's best interests, the Court had no hesitation in approving the settlement. The Court expressed its sorrow for what had happened and its hope that the settlement and the trust's prompt apology would achieve some closure and comfort for the family. It wished the girl and her family all the very best for the future.