€3.5m settlement over brain damage

A €3.5 MILLION settlement was approved by the High Court yesterday for a 24-year-old woman who suffered severe brain damage and cerebral palsy as a result of alleged negligence in the circumstances of her birth at Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital.

In approving the settlement in favour of Rebecca Hannon, Mr Justice Vivian Lavan directed that €250,000 be paid to the woman’s mother Breda in recognition of her “sterling contribution to her daughter over all these years”. The judge wished them every happiness in the future.

The case was taken on behalf of Rebecca, of Sarsfield Avenue, Garryowen, Limerick, against the Mid Western Health Board, now the HSE, who did not concede liability. An application is to be made to have Rebecca made a ward of court.

It was claimed Ms Hannon’s child’s birth was arranged by the Mid Western Health Board. It was claimed Ms Hannon attended ante-natal clinics with the Health Board until May 29 1983 when Rebecca was born at the maternity hospital. It was claimed that, due to alleged negligence and breach of duty of the Health Board in the care and management of Rebecca, she suffered severe personal injuries which had resulted in her suffering severe brain damage and cerebral palsy.

The defendant failed, it was alleged, to realise the significance of an alarming foetal heart beat about 9.20am on the day and failed to take appropriate action, including informing a consultant about the slow progress of the baby’s delivery.