Family wins £5 million in birth injury case

An English family was awarded a £5 million after birth injuries left their daughter paralyzed in all four limbs. Birth injuries can often lead to cerebral palsy. The daughter, who is now 6-years-old, suffered oxygen starvation during her birth at Homerton University Hospital, according to the Islington Gazette. The birth injury settlement will be mostly awarded in a lump sum plus annual tax-free payments to help cover the cost of care the girl will need throughout her life. The judge in the case said the money would "provide a steady stream of income for as long as she lives." Lawyers for the family claimed in court that the medical staff was negligent for failing to speed up the delivery after there were allegedly clear signs of foetal distress. Lawyers claimed that if the girl had been born 15 minutes earlier, she would not have suffered the birth injuries. The trust that will pay the settlement expressed their "deep regret" to the girl's mother. The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 10,000 children a year will develop cerebral palsy.