Five Year Old Cerebral Palsy Girl Awarded 1.3 Million Euros Interim Settlement

Five year old Kate Murphy of Fethard, County Tipperary is to receive an interim compensation payment of 1.3 million Euros after South Tipperary General Hospital admitted failings during her delivery process.
In an action brought through Kate’s mother, Sarah Murphy, against the Health Service Executive, South Tipperary General Hospital and Raymond Howard – a consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist attached to the hospital – Mr. Justice John Quirke heard at the High Court how alleged negligence and a breach of duty had left Kate with serious brain injuries.
No exact details of the events that occurred in September 2005 were revealed in court, as the hospital had already admitted liability and the case was before Mr. Justice John Quirke for the settlement to be approved. However, it was made clear that the consequences of the hospital’s alleged negligence left Kate suffering from cerebral palsy and requiring lifelong care.
Approving the compensation settlement, Mr. Justice John Quirke commented that the inclusion of 450,000 Euros for general damages was grossly inadequate and “nothing could compensate” for the trauma experienced by Kate and her family. He then adjourned the case for two years on the basis that there was an agreement in place that future care costs would be covered by a system of periodic payments, once new legislation to cover such cases had been introduced.