Lawyers for a boy who was left severely disabled by meningitis after his condition went undetected for days after he attended a hospital accident and emergency department have achieved a multi-million-pound settlement of his damages claim.
The boy was aged seven when he attended the hospital with his parents in July 2002. Despite complaining of backache and feeling unwell, he was not admitted to the hospital and his condition was not diagnosed until almost a week later.
Now aged 17, the boy had to be transferred to a specialist unit for life-saving cranial surgery. His lawyers claimed that, had he been effectively treated 24 hours earlier, he would have escaped permanent brain damage and a lifetime of disability.
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust admitted breach of duty and agreed to a settlement of the boy’s case which will take the form of a lump sum of just over £1 million as well as substantial annual, index-linked and tax-free payments to cover the costs of his care for the rest of his life.
Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Eady paid tribute to the boy’s parents who he said had ‘cared for him with great devotion since the devastating events 10 years ago’.