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enewton
Gold Member
 England
549 Posts |
 Posted - 09 Oct 2008 : 10:08:26 PM
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This is from Teesides evening Gazette, it´s also been on ITV I´m told, due to being a high profile case.
I know some of you would like to know what happened with my Sisters battle for son, Chad.
In 2004 the NHS admitted liability and causeation, just days left to go for a long (London) highcourt battle, they have finally settled.
If it wasnt for the work my Sister put into this all these years, this would never of been successfull..
A STOCKTON teenager has received a multi-million pound pay out after mistakes made during his birth left him severely brain damaged.
Chad Willis, 18, of Norton, needs round-the-clock care for the rest of his life after a series of errors at North Tees General Hospital.
For the last 15 years his parents, Melanie, 41, and Mark, 43, have fought the NHS for compensation.
Yesterday they were finally awarded a settlement of £5.684m to ensure Chad can receive the specialist care and support he needs for the rest of his life.
The payout includes a £2.36m lump sum and an annual payment of £106,000 for the rest of his life.
Chad was born at North Tees in February 1990. Melanie was induced four weeks early as she had pre-eclampsia - a complication of pregnancy characterised by high blood pressure.
Throughout the morning prior to the delivery medical staff carried out tests and found a number of abnormalities with Chad’s foetal heartbeats.
But when Chad was born there was no doctor present, he was not breathing and as a result of a severe loss of oxygen he was left severely brain damaged.
Chad, who has a younger sister, Casey, 15, has co-ordination and balance difficulties and the mental ability of a five-year-old.
Yesterday’s hearing ended a desperate 15-year battle by the Willis family to secure adequate levels of support for Chad, who attends Abbey Hill School of Technology in Stockton and loves wrestling and football.
Mrs Willis, who was given away by Chad when she married Mark in 2004, said: “My first thoughts are ones of relief - that after 15 years of fighting the NHS for Chad he will now have the funds for all his needs for the rest of his life.
“Chad is a wonderful boy and I am very proud of him and all that he has achieved in his life so far, but it is heartbreaking that he has suffered in this way through sheer carelessness on the part of the medical staff who should have been looking after him.
“My husband and I were informed that Chad had suffered from a severe lack of oxygen and that only time would tell how he would develop in the future. I was devastated.
“If the medical team had acted sooner and I had been given a caesarean, Chad would not have suffered any of these injuries.”
John Davis, a solicitor at Irwin Mitchell, said: “No amount of money can compensate for what Chad has lost and what the family has been through.
“Doctors were aware that Mrs Willis suffered from pre-eclampsia and that Chad was her first child so she should have been considered high risk and monitored closely. Errors were made throughout Mrs Willis’s labour, all of which could have been prevented.”
A spokeswoman for the North East Strategic Health Authority (SHA) said: “The SHA is pleased that an out-of- court settlement has been reached with Chad and his family relating to events surrounding his birth in 1990.
“The SHA wishes to acknowledge the dedicated, loving and devoted care that is being provided to Chad by his family and hope that now damages have been agreed Chad’s parents will be able to provide for his ongoing requirements and enable him to live as normal and enjoyable a life as possible in the circumstances.”
You can see a picture of them here:
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/2008/10/09/5m-for-boy-starved-of-oxygen-at-birth-84229-21999167/
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Emma Newton
  
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PhoenixBoysOtherMummy
Silver Member
England
299 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2008 : 10:20:49 PM
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| That is great news. Congratualtions. Good luck to Chad too. |
  
Pics of Smartie Pants by mattymoo ~~~ Penllyn Pirate ~~~~~Phoenix Boy |
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pat ww
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3459 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2008 : 10:37:13 PM
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As a one time midwife I have seen nail curling incompetence time and time again.
I am not happy about the conduct surrounding the birth of my first grand-daughter prematurely at 25 weeks, she only lived five days, there was a very high mortality rate on that unit.
Your family have been very brave to fight for the compensation, similar incompetence and dirty conditions have left Ethan unlikely to survive childhood as the many operations are taking their toll, but my children have too many pressures to fight a system stacked agisnt them, so glad someone comes out with what they need to survive with the necessary care. |
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enewton
Gold Member
England
549 Posts |
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NUTTER
Platinum Member
England
2452 Posts |
Posted - 09 Oct 2008 : 10:56:49 PM
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Yes it takes a lot to take and fight for your cause whilst daily task of looking after the child whilst fighting and repeating yourself contiuously!!
Fantastic news..
I know these things are never easy such as the Bristol babies 1988 my son fortunatly was one of the lucky ones who had his appointment cancelled and was dealt with here in Exeter at the very last min..
Those that went to Bristol with heart complaints majority ended up dead at least 4 with severe brain damage after what should have been been a relatively straight forward procedure..not all still have been paid or recieved adequate monies as yet..
I felt terrible at the time as another mum Penny whos daughter and my son were born days apart and both from same village .. her daughter is sadly one of the few that survived but is severlley brain damaged..
Now i look at my son a strapping poser with a love for life and think of poor penny with her daughter who should be as my son..
So pleased this family held in there to the end and best wishes to all of them..
More than deserve this payment and more..
Sarah |
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Edited by - NUTTER on 10 Oct 2008 10:45:15 AM |
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polly
Platinum Member
2183 Posts |
Posted - 10 Oct 2008 : 1:48:09 PM
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| Well done. Having worked on Medical Negligence cases I know the enormous amount of strength and reserve it takes to keep on fighting. It seems like a huge amount of money but when you consider that he will need to be paying for care for the next 80 years ,...it will soon be eaten up. At least his parents do not have to worry about him being cared for after their death, and that will be a bit worry off their minds. |
   
Photos1and2EricGJones
pollywells@.live.co.uk |
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