Mixed Athetoid Spastic Cerebral Palsy Case Study

Helen Niebuhr acts for R and his family.  

R's case was initially investigated and abandoned by other solicitors.  

Helen reopened R's case.

R has severe cerebral palsy and some cognitive injury. Despite clear signs that he was becoming distressed during his mother's labour the treating doctors failed to act promptly leading to R's cerebral palsy.

Because of the risks in R's case the issue of responsibility for his injury came to trial separately from the valuation.

The John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford only admitted responsibility for R's injury in the last days before trial in November 2005.

With liability for R's cerebral palsy admitted we were able to obtain immediate funds to allow R's parents to buy a suitable house, car, equipment, to put in place a full care regime allowing them to concentrate on being Ryan's parents rather than carers, and to maximise R's education.

The John Radcliffe Hospital disputed how much compensation R needed until the first day of the valuation trial when an unprecedented award of £6.6 million was agreed.

"This has been a long battle but we always knew that something had gone wrong and that it was the doctor's fault that R is the way he is. We have had to fight all the way for 15 years to prove it and to get R the compensation that will make sure he is secure for the rest of his life.”