Derby hospital payout for damage to girl's brain at birth

A 10-year-old girl who was starved of oxygen during her birth at the former Derby City General Hospital has won a multi-million pound damages payout.

Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust admitted full liability for the damage to the girl's brain.

It agreed to a compensation package which includes a £2.75m lump sum.

The girl, who cannot be named, would also receive payments every year to cover the costs of the care she would need for life.

Those payments would start at £47,000 a year, before rising to £64,700 a year when she is 14 and to £167,000 a year from her 19th birthday.

'Tragic case'

Approving the deal, Judge William Birtles described the girl's disabilities as '"profound".

She was currently totally dependent on the care of others, although she had strong potential to become at least partially independent after she reaches adulthood, he added.

Judge Birtles told the girl's father, who was in court: "May I say that this is a tragic case.

"You have my deepest sympathy and I can only hope that this money will make your daughter's life more bearable.

"You have my admiration for the burden that you have taken on and I hope that this settlement will go some way to making your lives better."

The girl cannot be identified because the judge said that, if unscrupulous people learnt of the size of her award, she might be viewed as presenting an "opportunity for exploitation".

Publicity that identified her could also lead to difficulties at the mainstream school she attends and would cause her unnecessary distress.