Woman brain-damaged at birth gets £5.5m hospital payout
A woman left with irreversible brain damage due to a "catalogue of errors" during her birth has been awarded a total of £5.5m in compensation.
The woman, 18, was starved of oxygen in the days leading up to her birth at St Luke's Hospital in Bradford in 1994, said the family's solicitor.
Her disabilities mean she is dependent on family and carers.
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted liability and apologised.
The woman, whose family want her to remain anonymous, has been awarded a £2.2m lump sum and will receive periodical payments totalling £3.3m.
The payout will fund care for the rest of her life.
Her mother contacted Morrish Solicitors four years ago to pursue a claim for medical negligence against the hospital.
The firm argued that there were significant delays in the mother's medical review and adequate care was not provided leading up to her daughter's birth.
As a result, the daughter was left with cerebral palsy, problems with speaking and hearing, severe learning difficulties and epilepsy.
Her mother said: "This has been a long fight to secure justice for my daughter.
"The last 18 years have taken their toll and been extremely stressful not only on myself, but the whole family.
"I hope we can now get the care and equipment that she needs to provider her with a better life."
Solicitor Jane McBennett said: "The mother has had a hard fight to get justice for her daughter."
She added: "Her daughter would have been left with nothing had her mother not decided to fight on.
"This settlement means that she will be looked after financially for the rest of her life."
A spokesperson for Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was pleased an agreement had been approved.
The spokesperson added: "The trust would like to take this opportunity to wish the patient and her family well for the future."