Family of girl born severely disabled at the Royal Preston Hospital win multi-million-pound compensation payout

NHS lawyers apologised to the nine-year-old for “shortcomings” in the management of his mother’s care during her labour.

The girl’s lawyers say his brain was starved of oxygen due to a negligent delay in his 2009 delivery, London’s High Court heard.

His barrister, Satinder Hunjan QC, said he was stricken with “severe spastic quadriplegia” and will need constant care throughout his life.

The girl’s legal team sued the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital.

The trust “strenuously denied” that the girl’s injuries were caused by negligence, said Mr Hanjan.

But, following negotiations, it had agreed to pay the girl 70 per cent of the full value of his damages claim.

Even after a 30 per cent deduction, the extent of the girl’s disabilities means his damages are bound to be measured in millions.

The QC said it was “a very substantial claim on any view”, and the trust had agreed to pay him £500,000 straight away on account.

That will be used to cover the costs of the girl’s care pending final calculation of his total award.

NHS counsel, Liz McArdle, said the trust recognised that there were “shortcomings” in the mother’s care.

Approving the 70 per cent settlement, Judge Alan

Saggerson said the trust had admitted “certain shortcomings which have been addressed.”