A young man left brain damaged as a baby following errors by doctors won a 23-year battle for £7.3million in compensation this week (14th April).
The 25-year-old man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, now relies on round-the-clock care.
Born in September 1989 at the Luton and Dunstable hospital, he was readmitted to the hospital three months later as he suffered a serious brain haemorrhage. It was found that the hospital’s maternity staff had failed to administer a vitamin K injection, a booster given to new-born babies to lessen their risk of developing blood clots, shortly after he was born.
The Secretary of State for Health admitted liability in the case, accepting that the failure to administer the man with the vitamin K injection breached their duty of care.
Judge Michael Yelton approved the £7.3 million settlement at London’s High Court, which is to be paid by the NHS Litigation Authority.
The man will receive a lump sum of £2,345,000 along with annual payments of £181,000, increasing to £192,000, bringing the total amount to £7,385,000.
Judge Yelton said he was “entirely satisfied” that the settlement was in the man’s best interests, adding that he was “very pleased” for the man and his family.
His family welcomed the settlement, and added that it will allow for the specialist support, accommodation and 24-hour care that he requires.