Mr Justice Vivian Lavan has approved in the High Court a €4.7 million plus costs settlement for Colm Daly of Glasheen, County Cork for an alleged medical negligence incident at the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, that left him severely brain-damaged.
Colm Daly had a difficult birth on June 12, 2000 when the midwives were forced to clamp his umbilical cord after it ruptured and then wait for the obstetrician to arrive. Colm’s health seriously deteriorated about a month after his birth and it was eventually found that a small blood vessel in his brain had burst, started bleeding, and did not clot properly. Colm was given a vitamin K injection to help the blood clot, which happened within eight hours.
The hospital was sued for negligence for allegedly not giving a vitamin K injection at birth, although the medical records say Colm did actually receive the injection.
It was stated that Colm was “catastrophically injured” that left him with lifelong intellectual and behaviour problems with uncontrollable epilepsy with hourly seizures that drugs could not control. The problem was brought under control within 18 months by placing Colm on a strict diet.
The dedication and special care given by Glasheen Boy’s National School staff and principal Michael Daly and his staff was praised by the family in a statement.
Although the case has been settled, the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, has not admitted liability for the alleged medical negligence. The family was told that the problems during the birth of Colm were “just one of those events”.