Manchester Man Gets Compensation After Son’s Brain Injury Birth

A man whose child suffered a brain injury shortly after being born has successfully sued the hospital trust responsible.

The baby was born at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester in October 2008. His mother gave birth to him following a difficult labour.

She was induced at 34 weeks after medics were concerned about the baby’s slow growth rate. The mother to be was also in severe pain, made worse by the drugs she was given to induce her. To get some pain relief she opted for an epidural but the anaesthetist gave her a spinal block beforehand to ensure she would sit still enough for the epidural to be given. This resulted in a double dose of pain relief.

Midwives failed to check the mother regularly and the baby was born while she was still numb. The midwives only noticed him when they pulled back the bed covers. Attempts were made to resuscitate him but brain damage had already taken place. The baby died 6 months after he was born.

Brain Injury Was Avoidable

It was known before her admission that the mother was a high-risk case as she suffered from various conditions including diabetes. It was also known that the baby was in poor condition before he was delivered but it was still decided at the inquest in April this year that he had suffered further because of the lack of care. The inquest revealed that there had been 8 instances of negligence on behalf of the NHS trust who ran the hospital.

The compensation figure was not disclosed but is believed to be five figures in respect of the 6 months that the father spent looking after his son following his birth. He said that the last four years had been ‘extremely difficult’ for his family. He continued; “We have fought so hard and we waited so long to receive an apology and an admission that more could have been done to save him. No amount of money in the world could ever replace what we have lost but we are now finally in a position to move forward with our lives. We feel that in some small way justice has been done.”

Unfortunately, the mother died in January 2010 following the birth of the couple’s second child.

Hospital Apologised For Failings

Head of Nursing and Midwifery at the hospital said that the hospital had recognised failings surrounding the care of the baby. She said: “We accept that this fell below the level of care we normally provide; as a result, we have reviewed our practices and systems and implemented a number of changes.” She offered her condolences and profound regret for the baby’s death to the family.”

Make A Compensation Claim

If you have experienced any type of injury which was not your fault, please get in touch with our legal specialists call us on 0333 358 3034.

Published 13th February 2015.