Regrets over brain damage blunder
The body which oversees healthcare in the region has said it "deeply regrets" the injuries suffered by a Tipton man who was left brain damaged after his brain was starved of oxygen during his birth.
The body which oversees healthcare in the region has said it "deeply regrets" the injuries suffered by a Tipton man who was left brain damaged after his brain was starved of oxygen during his birth.
Christopher James Langford, now 21, was left with acute cerebral palsy and quadraplegia after he was born at Sandwell Hospital in 1987.
A judge has now ruled that had it not been for a six-minute delay in Christopher's delivery, he would have escaped most of the disabilities which will forever blight his life.
Christopher, who lives in Cotterills Road, is now set for a multi-million pound payout to cover everything he has lost and the enormous costs of the care he will need for the rest of his life.
During the High Court hearing Christopher's barrister, Simeon Maskrey QC, earlier told the judge there was extreme urgency to deliver Christopher swiftly because of clear signs of foetal distress.
And although he exonerated the experienced midwifery staff from all blame for what happened, Mr Justice Tugendhat said an obstetrician should have been called to his mother Amanda Langford's bedside by 9.35pm on the day of the birth, and should have arrived within five minutes.
"There was no breach of duty by the midwives attending Mrs Langford," he said. "The only breach of duty arises from the failure of the obstetrician to attend when called."
Had the obstetrician arrived in time, the judge said a forceps delivery could have been achieved within nine minutes and Christopher would have been brought into the world and resuscitated six critical minutes earlier than he was. After the verdict, Mrs Langford, who cares for her son, said: "All I ever wanted was answers but for many years the health authority led me to believe that the delays in Christopher's birth were not responsible for the extent of his cerebral palsy.
"Christopher is a very happy young man and has a real love of life but he naturally gets frustrated that he cannot do the things most of us take for granted. I am so relieved by the High Court's verdict but am angry that the health authority did not feel able to admit mistakes were made."
A statement from the health authority said: "The West Midlands Strategic Health Authority confirms that Mr Langford has succeeded in his claim against the Authority. The authority deeply regrets the injuries suffered by Christopher. The parties will now work towards agreeing a compensation package to meet Christopher's needs."
