A young boy from Sligo, who suffers from cerebral palsy due to alleged medical negligence around the time of his birth, has had a 4.5 million Euros cerebral palsy injury compensation settlement approved in court.
Evan Doyle was born with cerebral palsy and spastic quadriplegia at Sligo General Hospital in 1996 due, it was alleged, to the mismanagement of his birth. Mr Justice John Quirke at the Dublin High Court heard claims that Evan´s mother, Janice, had been given too high a dose of a labour-inducing drug and then had a monitor detached during her labour.
It was further claimed that a delay before the decision was made to deliver Evan by Caesarean section and then the late arrival of the consultant had caused Evan to be starved of oxygen in the womb – a combination of errors which, it was alleged, resulted in Evan sustaining his cerebral palsy injury.
Sligo General Hospital contested each of the claims made against it – stating that it was standard practice to administer a labour-inducing drug and to remove the monitor in certain circumstances. The hospital also claimed that the consultant had arrived within the normally permitted time limit.
However, the judge heard that Sligo General Hospital and Health Service Executive were prepared to settle Evan´s cerebral palsy injury compensation claim without admission of liability in the amount of 4.5 million Euros. The judge approved the compensation settlement, commenting that the system under which damages are assessed in such cases should be reviewed to ensure that the victim is guaranteed a life time of care.