Interim settlement agreed for Cork girl with cerebral palsy

A girl with cerebral palsy who sued the HSE over the circumstances of her birth has secured an interium payment of €1.7million under a settlement of her action.

Holly Corrigan, due to mark her tenth birthday next week, has a twin sister Katie who was born 18 minutes after her at Cork University Maternity Hospital on March 20th, 2008.

Holly has spastic quadriplegia, a severe form of cerebral palsy. Katie was born by caesarean section 18 minutes later and is healthy.

The twins were due to be delivered in June 2008 but were born premature, 12 weeks earlier than expected, Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told by Dr John O'Mahony SC, for Holly.

He argued that Holly should also have been delivered by caesarean section.

Mr Justice Cross approved the settlenent as a good one and commended Holy’s parents in their care for her.

The case will return to court in five years when the cost of Holly’s future care needs will be assessed.

Through her mother Victoria Corrigan, of Dun Eoin, Ballinrea Road, Carrigaline, Co Cork, Holly sued over the circumstances of her birth.

It was claimed Holly’s delivery was extremely traumatic and fraught with shock, tension, anxiety and panic for the baby and her parents.

It was alleged the registrar who delivered the babies was visibly distressed both prior to and during the delivery procedure.

It was further claimed Holly was rendered into unnecessary distress and was left severely neurologically compromised and disabled.

She was in the neo-natal intensive care for three months after her birth and at one stage had to have a shunt inserted. It was claimed, the day after the operation, Holly was subject of an alleged massive morphine overdose where a 24 hour dosage was administered in 24 minutes and, as a result, she became extremely unwell and was unable to breathe unassisted and remained sedated for a further two days.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure to carry out an emergency caesarean section as directed, given the explicit instruction of Ms Corrigan’s private consultant.

It was also claimed there was failure to summon competent assistance in a timely fashion, to seek appropriate expert advice from the consultant in time or at all and to ensure the person performing the delivery had requisite skills and knowledge. The claims were denied.

Dr O’Mahony said the twins go to the same school and are in fourth class. Theiur parentsare “very devoted” and had done every possible thing imaginable to enhance Holly’s life.