Brain-damage boy wins £3m payout

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A Cornish boy left disabled after his premature birth has been awarded nearly £3m in compensation.

The High Court in London heard the boy was delivered eight weeks premature at the Royal Cornwall Hospital.

He was left with brain damage which means he requires constant care for the rest of his life.

Through his father, the boy sued the hospital Trust, saying early treatment by phototherapy would have saved him from irreversible brain damage.

'Catastrophic' consequences

After he was born, the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was transferred to the special care baby unit, where he later developed an acute case of jaundice.

That, in turn, led to a condition called Kernicterus, causing quadriplegic cerebral palsy and severe hearing loss.

The boy's claim was disputed by the Trust, but on Monday at the High Court it nevertheless agreed to a £2.75m settlement, without making any admission of liability.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Lloyd-Jones told the family: "These events have been tragic so far as you all are concerned. The consequences were catastrophic.

"Nothing can turn back the clock. But it is to be hoped that you will be able to look ahead and make the best of it.

"This young man is fortunate in one respect: the devoted love and care of his parents".