A High Court judge has approved a €2 million interim payment of compensation for the family of a child who suffered birth injuries at the Waterford Regional Hospital due to the negligence of medical staff.
In January 2010,Dylan Kenny was born at the Waterford Regional Hospital after an avoidable delay in his delivery which left him deprived of oxygen in the womb. Dylan now suffers from cerebral palsy, has difficulty communicating and is unable to walk independently.
On behalf of their son, Dylan´s parents – Claire O´Brien and Lloyd Kenny -made a compensation claim for birth injuries against the Waterford Regional Hospital, alleging that there had been a failure to monitor Dylan´s foetal heart rate during Claire´s labour or act within a reasonable time to signs of foetal distress and hypoxia.
It was claimed that Dylan´s birth injuries would not have been so severe had medical staff at the Waterford Regional Hospital been more diligent and, in June this year, the Health Service Executive (HSE) admitted that errors had been made in the management of Claire´s labour, acknowledged liability for Dylan´s birth injuries and issued the family with an apology.
Mr Justice John Cook at the High Court was told that the case was before him for the approval of a €2 million interim settlement of compensation for birth injuries at Waterford Regional Hospital, and heard that the interim settlement was to provide care for Dylan for the next three years.
Within the next three years, an assessment will be carried out on Dylan´s future needs and a further interim payment of compensation for birth injuries at Waterford Regional Hospital will be applied for if a structured compensation scheme has not been introduced.
After hearing that Dylan´s parents were satisfied with the interim payment, and preferred it to the lump sum settlement requested by the State Claims Agency, Judge Cook approved the interim payment and adjourned the case.