Basildon hospital: NHS to pay disabled boy £13m

A 10-year-old boy who was left severely disabled from birth has been awarded £13m in damages from the NHS.

Delays in treatment at Basildon University Hospital caused the youngster to suffer a "catastrophic brain injury", Mrs Justice Lambert told London's High Court.

It also meant the boy's mother suffered a number of complications.

Basildon & Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was a "tragic and serious case".

Following his difficult birth, the youngster suffers with autistic spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the court heard.

He has sleeping problems, his parents face difficulties in "engaging his attention" and he sometimes has "violent outbursts".

The trust admitted the boy's mother should have been admitted to hospital after an ante-natal appointment.

It also accepted he should have been delivered six hours earlier than he was.

The trust agreed to pay the boy 80% of the full value of his claim on the basis he would have suffered some injury in any event.

He will receive a lump sum of £2.7m, plus index-linked and tax-free annual payments to cover the cost of his care for life.

Outside court, the boy's lawyers confirmed that the capitalised value of his payout comes to more than £13m, when spread over the course of his lifetime.

Mrs Justice Lambert said the settlement was "fair, reasonable and in the boy's best interests".

She added: "Money cannot turn the clock back, but a damages settlement can make life easier."

Alexander Antelme QC, for the NHS Trust, said it was a "tragic and serious case".

He praised the "commitment and care" of the boy's parents and "wished the family the very best" for the future.