Brain-damaged boy settles for €5.5m

A 6-year-old boy who is severely brain damaged has settled for €5.5m his action against the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, over his care when he was brought to the hospital at eight days old and later diagnosed with meningitis.

Robert Montgomery has cerebral palsy, is visually impaired, cannot talk, and is a very unwell boy, Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told yesterday. He had sued the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin, over his care when he was admitted to the hospital on November 5, 2010, and later diagnosed as suffering from septicaemia and later neo natal meningitis.

Denis McCullough, counsel for Robert, said his side would say the appropriate antibiotics were not given in time to Robert and the possibility of the meningitis being dealt with was missed.