Cerebral Palsy Baby - Parents "robbed of the baby we should have had"
As little Ruby Hanson celebrates her first birthday today, her parents are coming to terms with the cerebral palsy they believe was the result of medical negligence when she was born at North Devon District Hospital.
Now Ruby's parents are fighting for compensation as their baby will need a lifetime of care.
"It was a normal pregnancy with no worries until I went into hospital. They have robbed us of the baby we should have had."
An apology was given to parents Vicky and Jimmy by the medical director of the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust, but the Trust's legal team is contesting the claim. Solicitors acting for the family believe Ruby should be awarded between £5 million and £7 million in compensation.
The Trust conducted its own investigation into the incident, which accepted that there were delays in delivering the baby, following a 30-hour labour, and that the doctor "failed to recognise the deteriorating situation".
A statement from the Northern Devon Healthcare Trust said: "The legal claim against the Trust on behalf of Ruby Hanson has been reported to the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA), the Trust's insurer. This is a requirement of the NHSLA. An independent expert medical view is now being obtained on any breach of duty and causation. Again this is part of the NHSLA's standard process for handling claims of this nature on behalf of Trusts around the country."
Specialist cerebral palsy lawyer Susan Brown from Reading based law firm Boyes Turner said: "We are dealing with a number of cases for children with cerebral palsy where it is absolutely clear that the injury was caused by negligent care during the labour/delivery. Yet despite this it often takes the NHSLA a considerable length of time to admit responsibility so that families can access the financial support that they require to provide for their child's special needs."
If your child has cerebral palsy or suffered severe birth injury contacts our specialist cerebral palsy solicitors who can help you claim compensation to secure their future care.
Boyes Turner is top ranked for its cerebral palsy and medical negligence work by the legal industry's leading directory.
Click here to read about the cerebral palsy claims we have been involved with.
Consistent with our policy when giving comment and advice on a non-specific basis, we cannot assume legal responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement. In the case of specific problems we recommend that professional advice be sought.
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