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Brain-injured girl awarded 8-figure settlement

A girl left severely disabled after a botched delivery has been awarded an “eight-figure” settlement, according to UK newspaper the Harrow Observer.

An article says Aastha Patel, now 6, has cerebral palsy that makes it difficult for her to walk or feed herself. She also has epilepsy, limited communication and reduced eyesight, which will necessitate round-the-clock care for the rest of her life.

The problems came about because Patel’s brain was starved of oxygen at birth, when the staff at Northwick Park Hospital failed to act after her heart rate dropped.

Experts testified that hospital staffers noticed Patel’s heart rate was slow, but failed to adequately monitor and record it, or get assistance when it slowed further.

Hospital personnel also confused the mother’s and baby’s heart rates and delayed delivery by 30 minutes.

Once Patel was born, she was placed in a faulty incubator and did not take her first breath until she was five minutes old. By then, irreparable brain damage had been caused.

The report quotes a medical law expert who represented the family as saying: “It will be more difficult to care for Aastha the older she is, which is why the settlement approved has come at a vital time for the family. The amount has been very carefully calculated to take into account Aastha’s exact care needs and the level of support she requires.”

If you or a loved one have suffered a traumatic brain injury, check with Lopez McHugh for a free consultation to see what your legal options are.

See the story here:

https://www.harrowobserver.co.uk/west-london-news/local-harrow-news/2012/12/20/millions-awarded-to-child-after-hospital-mistake-116451-32459934/