A child, who was starved of oxygen at birth, has had a compensation settlement of €4 million approved at the High Court in Dublin.
Katie Martin (13) from Trim in County Meath was born at the Coombe Women´s Hospital in Dublin on November 9th 2000 by emergency Caesarean Section, after her mother – Fiona – had presented at the hospital earlier that morning having irregular contractions.
A CTG trace was made after 90 minutes and, according to Katie´s solicitor, the trace registered abnormal readings which would indicate that Katie was being deprived of oxygen in the womb.
However, it was a further 90 minutes before any action was taken in response to the abnormal readings; and when Katie was born she had suffered a cardiac arrest and showed no signs of life.
Fortunately medical staff were able to resuscitate Katie, but she had suffered severe brain damage due to a lack of oxygen that means that she will need constant care throughout the rest of her life.
Through her mother, Katie made a claim for child starved of oxygen at birth compensation against the Coombe Women´s Hospital – who denied their liability for her injury and contested that Katie was deprived of oxygen in the womb before her mother was admitted to the hospital.
Nonetheless, at the High Court in Dublin, Ms Justice Mary Irvine was told that a settlement of €4 million compensation for a child starved of oxygen at birth had been negotiated without admission of liability, and that the case was before her for approval of the settlement.
The judge heard the circumstances of Katie´s birth – and that the hospital had entered a full defence against the claim – before commenting that the settlement was a good one in the circumstances and that she had no hesitation in approving it.
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