statement from Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons regarding compensation awarded to Holly Green

Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons reports that its client, Holly Green, has been awarded 50% of her claim from Watford General Hospital.  The total sum will be determined at a later date but in the meantime, Holly will receive an interim payment of £50,000.

Holly Green was born at Watford General Hospital on 15 February 2002.  She is the only child of her parents, Alexis Carnall and Richard Green.

Holly suffers from severe, mixed spastic and dyskinetic cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, severe learning difficulties and epilepsy.  She is severely visually impaired and is not able to care for herself in any way.  She recognises and responds to her parents who have cared for her lovingly in their home since she was born.  They provide her with 24-hour care.

It is agreed that Holly would have been born without handicap if she had not suffered an acute lack of oxygen shortly before birth and that if she had been born 15 minutes earlier she would have been uninjured.

Experts acting for Holly are of the view that those caring for her should have been aware that they were erroneously recording the maternal heartbeat instead of that of Holly, that she was experiencing difficulties and that she should have been delivered before the damage began.

Experts acting for the Trust believe that in 2002, those carers could not reasonably have been expected to have realised they were recording the maternal heart rate rather than that of Holly.  Experts from both sides agree that it is likely that the maternal heart rate rather than that of Holly was being monitored for the final hour before Holly was born.

In the light of this conflicting evidence, the Trust has offered (and those acting for Holly have accepted) that judgment be awarded to Holly for 50% of the value of her claim.  The interim sum of £50,000 will provide some of the care and equipment that Holly and her parents need until the amount of the final award is determined.

There will be no further comment until the case is completed.

- ENDS -

At the request of the family, all future media inquiries should be via:

Daniel Baber, PR Manager at Blake Lapthorn Tarlo Lyons

Tel: 020 7814 5489 / 07771 930 084; email: daniel.baber@bllaw.co.uk