After 25 years, Onehouse girl’s hospital claim for birth injuries has settled

Posted 18/10/2012

Ashtons Legal clinical negligence specialist Trefine Maynard was at the Royal Courts of Justice in London yesterday where the legal case she has been running for Onehouse girl Samantha Gooding was settled for a substantial sum. Samantha, now 25, was born in West Suffolk Hospital in September 1987. She was effectively stillborn, after the umbilical cord tore during delivery. As a result she suffers cerebral palsy, with a weakness in both legs and moderate learning difficulties.

Trefine Maynard comments: “Until a few years ago, Samantha suffered with serious epilepsy, but fortunately she seems to have grown out of that. She will always remain dependent on others for all aspects of her care but, despite her problems, she lives a very full life which gives her great enjoyment. The defendants had already paid some damages on account, and Sam has used the money to set up some additional care and, more significantly, to buy and adapt a bungalow for herself. Work on the house is just about complete and Sam hopes to move in with her own care team by the end of the year. Now that the Court has agreed the detail of the settlement, Samantha can at last get on with her life.”

The Ashtons Legal medical injury team handles cerebral palsy claims for families all over the country. Some of these claims are for young children but many are for older people. Earlier this year Trefine, who acted for Samantha in this action, settled a cerebral palsy case for a claimant who was 44 at the time of settlement.