Eight-year-old awarded damages for catastrophic birth injury
Ayla Ellison has been awarded a multimillion-pound compensation package after she was starved of oxygen at birth and left disabled.
What happened?
The girl, who is now eight-years-old , suffered severe brain damage following her birth at Furness General Hospital, Barrow. As well as being immobile and dependent on being fed through a tube, she is at constant risk of hypothermia as she cannot control her body temperature.
Despite her immobility, she suffers muscle spasms that leave her in agonising pain which can only be quelled by immersion in a hydrotherapy pool.
Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust has since admitted staff negligence.
Compensation
The trust has been ordered to pay a tax-free sum every year for the rest of Ayla’s life, starting at £225,000 and rising to £290,000 when she turns 18.
The settlement also includes £1.6m to buy a family home near to her father’s work, and further funds will be needed to adapt it to Ayla’s needs and install a hydrotherapy pool.
Trust medical director, David Walker, said:
“We are very sorry for the harm caused to Ayla and the distress caused
to her family as a result of the issues arising from her birth.
“The injuries she suffered are very severe and a tragedy for her and her
family. Her parents have had to cope with extraordinary
pressures in looking after her.”
If you have been affected by medical negligence, and you would like expert advice, contact the Hampson Hughes Solicitors Medical Negligence Team today on 0151 242 1025 or email
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