Brave Hospital Negligence Victim Receives £9.4 Million in Compensation

Levels of compensation in some clinical negligence cases may appear very high, but they are no more than is needed to fund a lifetime of care. That was certainly so in the case of a brave young man who will need every penny of his seven-figure damages to assist him in making an independent life for himself.

The man, in his 20s, was aged eight when negligent hospital treatment of an acute medical condition left him with permanent brain damage. He suffered from serious cognitive, visual and speech impairments but retained a winning sense of humour and had a close circle of friends. His family had devoted themselves to looking after him, but he had set his heart on moving into a home of his own with the support of professional carers.

After proceedings were launched on the man's behalf, the NHS trust that ran the relevant hospital admitted liability in full for his injuries and agreed to a final settlement of his claim. Together with a £2.2 million lump sum, he will receive annual, index-linked and tax-free payments to cover the costs of his care for as long as he lives. The settlement has an overall capitalised value of around £9.4 million.

In approving the settlement, the High Court described the man as a positive, caring and engaging individual who is a credit to his family and himself. The settlement will enable him to maximise his potential and will give him the opportunity to obtain the independence he longs for and deserves.