A teenage girl who sued over the hospital care she received after her birth has settled a High Court action for €850,000.
The girl, who cannot be named by order of the court, has neurodevelopmental difficulties, Judge Paul Coffey was told on Friday.
Through her father, the girl sued the HSE over the care provided by University Hospital Galway. The settlement, which was reached after mediation, is without an admission of liability.
In the proceedings, it was claimed there was a failure after her birth in 2009 to investigate her small size and to test for CMV, an intrauterine viral infection. The condition can cause a baby to have a low birth weight.
It was claimed that there was an alleged failure to treat the baby with antiviral medication from shortly after her birth and an alleged delay in diagnosing the cause of her condition until she was more than four years old. All of the claims were denied.
The girl’s senior counsel, Jonathan Kilfeather, instructed by Damien Tansey solicitors, told the court his client’s mother had two ultrasound scans, but when the baby was born she was a small size. He said it was their case that the baby’s size should have triggered an investigation.
He said an issue in the case was in relation to the relevant guidelines in hospitals at the time.
Approving the settlement, the judge said there were real difficulties in the case in relation to causation. He said he had no hesitation in approving the settlement and wished the teenager the very best for the future.