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Our expert medical negligence solicitors have worked with parents for over 25 years investigating and succeeding in claims arising from substandard medical care leading to brain injury in the neonatal period.

What is neonatal brain injury?

In hospital, babies who are born prematurely, unwell or who are small for their gestational age will need specialist neonatal care.

This usually takes place in a neonatal unit (NNU) or special care baby unit (SCBU) or a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), depending on the treatment, monitoring and breathing support needed by the baby.

In some devastating circumstances, a baby may suffer a neonatal brain injury. Such injuries have lifelong consequences with the need for specialist care, education, equipment, and other requirements to properly support the injured child throughout their life.

Starting your child’s neonatal brain injury claim

To help support your child’s neonatal brain injury claim, we will obtain medical records, any investigation documentation and treatment protocols. We will then take a detailed witness statement from you and others as necessary, and instruct independent medical experts to consider the care received and the consequences of the failings in your child’s care.

The defendant may accept responsibility for your child’s neonatal injury, and we may be able to negotiate the appropriate compensation award at this point.

If settlement is not achieved, we will start court proceedings and take your case towards trial, keeping the defendant under pressure to agree settlement of your child’s neonatal claim. Over 95% of cases succeed without the need for trial, but every case is prepared on the basis that a judge will need to decide all the issues in your claim that the defendant has not admitted.

 

Why choose Boyes Turner? 

Our clients receive the highest standards of advice and representation and are always treated with compassion, outstanding care and understanding of the physical, emotional, psychological and financial impact that life-changing injury can have upon their lives.

  • We are nationally acclaimed medical negligence lawyers. We are recognised as leading clinical negligence experts by Chambers Directory and Legal 500.
  • Our award-winning solicitors are accredited for our expertise by the Law Society, AvMA and APIL. We secure maximum compensation settlements for our clients which make the best provision for their current and future needs.
  • We have an extensive and highly experienced medical negligence team with proven skills to succeed in high value, complex claims involving catastrophic injury and severe disability.

Neonatal brain injury claims solicitors frequently asked questions

What are types of neonatal injuries?

Types of neonatal injuries include:

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Perinatal asphyxia or HIE

Perinatal asphyxia is the name given to a baby’s lack of oxygen or breathing problems around the time of birth.

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Meconium aspiration

Meconium is the medical name for a newborn baby’s first faeces. It is normal for a baby to pass meconium soon after birth.

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Kernicterus

Kernicterus is a rare but serious complication of jaundice. Jaundice is a yellow colouring of the skin.

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Infection - Group B streptococcus/meningitis

Severe neurological disability, such as cerebral palsy, can be caused by infection in pregnancy, during labour and birth, during the neonatal period (immediately after birth) or in the child’s infancy.

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Hypoglycaemia

Hypoglycaemia means low blood sugar (glucose). Neonatal hypoglycaemia is a common condition in newborn babies who are unable to maintain healthy blood sugar levels in the first few days of life before they are feeding regularly.

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Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) or haemorrhagic disease of the newborn

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) or haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, is a rare blood clotting disorder. It affects 1 in 10,000 newborn babies. It is caused by a shortage of Vitamin K.

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Hypocarbia – injury from over-ventilation

Newborn babies who are unwell or premature sometimes need help to breathe. After initial resuscitation, they may be moved for intensive care to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) where their breathing will be controlled by a ventilator machine. 

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When does a newborn need neonatal care?

Newborn babies are admitted to the neonatal unit when they have or are at risk of a condition or complications which need specialist care, observation, and treatment.

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Can older children, teenagers or young adults claim for neonatal negligence?

Negligent neonatal care of a newborn baby can cause severe disability which lasts far beyond the baby’s first few weeks. The injury may not be obvious straight away. Depending on when the damage to the child becomes apparent, our client families may come to us at different stages of their child’s development.

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Resources

Neonatal brain injury news

Neonatal brain injury cases

  • £24.3 million settlement in a neonatal brain injury claim arising from untreated neonatal hypoglycaemia. The settlement includes guaranteed lifelong annual payments of over £300,000pa to provide for the costs of high levels of care.
  • $23 million settlement in a claim for kernicterus brain injury arising from community midwives’ negligent treatment of our client’s neonatal jaundice in the first few days of his life.  Interim payments of £1,350,000 met the USA resident child’s urgent needs during the claim after we secured an admission of liability. We pursued the claim arising from our client’s negligent UK-based treatment under English law, and valued his compensation to meet his needs in the USA.
  • £18.4m compensation settlement for a severely disabled child whose cerebral palsy was caused by negligent failure by neonatal staff to treat his HSV-infected forceps grazes on his scalp.
  • Settlement providing a £3.1 million lump sum plus lifelong yearly payments of up to £133,250pa for a child who suffered a brain injury when midwives failed to recognise and treat his neonatal hypoglycaemia. During the claim a £1 million interim payment paid for a behaviour management programme and a more suitable home, enabling the boy’s specialist needs to be met whilst he lived at home with his family.
  • £7m settlement in a kernicterus brain injury claim arising from delays by a community midwife and a GP in referring a newborn baby to hospital for treatment of jaundice.
  • £3.6 million settlement for a child who suffered meningitis brain injury when obstetric and neonatal staff at the hospital where he was born failed to diagnose that he was suffering from an infection, resulting in delayed  antibiotic treatment.
  • £13.3 million settlement for a teenager with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy caused by negligent hospital treatment of necrotising enterocolitis and excessive ventilation (hypocarbia) in the days after his premature twin birth. He has retained intellect but significant physical disability from the neonatal brain injury. Interim payments of £875,000 helped meet our client’s urgent needs whilst we worked towards settlement of the claim.
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Meet your specialist team

Our specialist Neonatal brain injury claims solicitors team are considered leaders in the field and have a significant amount of expertise.
Susan Brown photo

Susan Brown

Partner

Julie Marsh headshot

Julie Marsh

Partner

Richard Money-Kyrle headshot

Richard Money-Kyrle

Partner

Sita Soni headshot

Sita Soni

Senior Associate - solicitor

Vanessa Wand photo

Vanessa Wand

Senior associate - solicitor

Rachel Makore headshot

Rachel Makore

Associate - solicitor

Tara Pileggi-Byrne photo

Tara Pileggi-Byrne

Associate - Solicitor

Alpa Rana headshot

Alpa Rana

Associate - solicitor

Fran Rothwell

Fran Rothwell

Associate solicitor

Ben Ireland headshot

Ben Ireland

Solicitor

Alice Carley headshot

Alice Carley

Paralegal

Audrey Elmore headshot

Audrey Elmore

Medical records coordinator

Nicky Melville headshot

Nicky Melville

Professional support assistant

Susan Brown photo
Julie Marsh headshot
Richard Money-Kyrle headshot
Sita Soni headshot
Vanessa Wand photo
Rachel Makore headshot
Tara Pileggi-Byrne photo
Alpa Rana headshot
Fran Rothwell
Ben Ireland headshot
Alice Carley headshot
Audrey Elmore headshot
Nicky Melville headshot

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Neonatal brain injury cases

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Awards & accreditations

Our medical negligence and personal injury teams have been nationally recognised for over 20 years because of their expertise, empathy and commitment to securing maximum compensation for our clients.

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What our clients say

"Amazing support"

Fran has been an amazing support through a very difficult time for me and my family. Always available to speak and kept me in the loop with anything happening, she has been so kind, and I thank her so much for helping and getting my mum the justice she deserved.

Ms Alison

"Honest, approachable and truly empathetic"

What has to be some of the most testing horrible times was dealt with in a dignified, honest, approachable and truly empathetic manner. I could not begin to do Susan justice for her handling of our case.

Boyes Turner Client

"they kept us fully informed "

I approached Boyes Turner after my claim was turned down by one of the Medical Negligence Claim company. My wife was a victim of medical negligence.

Boyes Turner have acted so efficiently on our behalf and was able to win our case. Anytime we contact them, their customer service was very good as they kept us fully informed of every level our case has developed. They are very friendly and approachable and great in their professional advise. I would strongly recommend anyone approach them for their legal and medical negligence services.

Boyes Turner Client

"Thoroughly professional, knowledgable and approachable"

Thoroughly professional, knowledgable and approachable with communication and updates as and when needed, in what can be a drawn out process, I was always comfortable asking questions and always received answers which were clear and understandable. Highly recommend

Boyes Turner Client

"Amazing professional firm"

I came to Boyes Turner desperate after searching the web for a firm to use for my sons case. He was only a few months so my mind was all over the place, but from the very first point of contact I felt a sense of relieve and belonging. I was welcomed and looked after by amazing staff who always communicated everything so well and went the extra mile to explain things and ensure I understood what was happening every step of the way (THANK YOU SUSAN BROWN). Susan was amazing I felt like I not only had a solicitor but someone who understood my emotions as a mother and always handled me with so much compassion and that was all I needed to keep me going for the 6 years of the case. Years went by in a breeze because of how professional Boyes Turner was. I am so greatful I went through it all with them and mananged to get my son a good compensation. We look forward our new life where my sons needs are priority after struggling for so long. Thank you Boyes Turner and thank you Susan Brown. My family and I are ever indebted.

Boyes Turner Client
Rated Excellent 4.8/5