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Tragic Abigail gets £1.3m from hospital after birth failures
A six-year-old girl left disabled after being starved of oxygen during birth has been given more than £1m in compensation.
Abigail Thomson suffers from quadriplegic cerebral palsy following a 'negligent delay' in her delivery at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth.
Through her mum, Jacqueline, she sued the NHS trust, which admitted liability at an early stage and yesterday agreed to settle her case.
Along with a 1.35m lump sum, Abigail, of Beech Grove, Hayling Island, will receive annual tax-free payments to cover the costs of her care for the rest of her life.
This will start at 80,000 until she is 14, before rising to 100,000 up to the age of 19, before peaking at 115,000.
At the High Court hearing in London her barrister, Simeon Maskrey QC, said the settlement was 'quite plainly reasonable' and offered Abigail and her family the financial security they needed to face the future.
Lawyers for the Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust also issued a public apology for the 'breach of duty' that starved little Abigail of oxygen during her birth in March 2003. No further details were given.
Neil Block QC, for the NHS trust, also paid tribute to the years of outstanding care her parents have given her.
'We fully appreciate that no amount of money can compensate Abigail for what she has lost, but we hope that this settlement will provide financial security and help to life the family's burden,' he said.
Abigail's care package includes a night-time attendant because of her 'disturbed sleep patterns', but Mr Maskrey said it was hoped the problem will settle down during adolescence.
Mr Justice Eady approved the settlement as in Abigail's best interests, and told the court: 'There is here a remarkable history of devoted care by this family over a considerable period of time.'
A FORM OF CEREBRAL PALSY
Quadriplegia is a form of cerebral palsy in which all four limbs are affected. It is usually accompanied by more severe motor dysfunction than the other forms.
Children with spastic quadriplegia usually have several compounded disabilities including mental retardation, problems with muscles that control the mouth and tongue, and difficulty in speaking.
Some children with quadriplegia also suffer from hemiparetic tremors – an uncontrollable shaking that affects the limbs on one side of the body and impairs normal movement.
Quadriplegia is an extremely difficult form of cerebral palsy to deal ith.
Experts say the dedication of a family and healthcare provider is critical for a quadriplegia cerebral palsy patient's wellbeing.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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