Brain-damaged boy awarded £5.5m

A 12-year-old boy left permanently brain damaged because of a hospital's negligence has won £5.5m in damages at the High Court in London.

Luke Parsons' birth at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, in February 1996 was delayed due to negligence in the management of his mother's labour.

He will receive £2.1m for admitted liability and annual payments of up to £120,000 for the rest of his life.

The trust said it very much regretted the injuries Luke suffered.

The youngster was diagnosed with Dyskinetic Athetoid Cerebral Palsy as a result of the period when his brain was starved of oxygen.

It [the money] will be needed to give Luke the security and support that he will require for the rest of his life Mr and Mrs Parsons

Mr Andrew Parsons and Mrs Gail Parsons, from Oxfordshire, said: "Even though we are pleased with the final outcome of this long battle we will not be celebrating, just concentrating on caring for Luke's future needs.

"Although the money seems a huge amount it will be needed to give Luke the security and support that he will require for the rest of his life."

A spokesperson for Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust said: "The Oxford Radcliffe Hospital is pleased to confirm that terms of settlement have been agreed with Luke Parsons and his family, and that the settlement has today been approved by the court.

"An early admission of liability was made by the trust following a detailed investigation of the circumstances leading up to Luke's birth.

Long-term care

"The trust sincerely hopes that the substantial agreed settlement will assist Luke in achieving his potential throughout life, but recognises that no amount of money can fully compensate Luke for the injuries that he has suffered ."

Helen Niebuhr, from Darbys Solicitors in Oxford, which represented the Parsons family, said: "Luke is a lovely boy and happily his intellect has not been affected by the brain damage.

"The purpose of the award is to try to enable Luke to do things that he would have done if this terrible incident had not occurred and to ensure that his needs are provided for for the rest of his life, which will be a very long time. "