Morrish Solicitors Secure £4.6 Million Settlement in Complex Birth Injury Case

Morrish Solicitors has secured a £4.6 million settlement for a young boy who suffered a severe hypoglycaemic brain injury shortly after birth at Bradford Royal Infirmary. The clinical negligence claim, brought against Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was both complex and strongly contested, with liability firmly disputed throughout.

Protected by an anonymity order, the child now lives with profound and lifelong disabilities, including global developmental delay, drug-resistant epilepsy, microcephaly, lack of visual function and the most severe level of neurodisability (GMFCS Level 5). He is non-verbal, doubly incontinent, and fully gastrostomy fed.

The case was led by Anna Sari, Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence at Morrish Solicitors, with support from Roisin Hulme, Associate Solicitor. They worked alongside Hylton Armstrong of Parklane Plowden Chambers, led by Henry Pitchers KC, over many years of litigation.

The legal team gathered extensive expert evidence, developed the case strategy, managed proceedings, and ensured the family received support at every stage of the process.

The central issue in the case was whether the child should have been discharged home shortly after birth.

· Claimant’s position: The baby was not breastfeeding properly and should not have been discharged. Had he remained in hospital, he would have received IV dextrose, preventing the brain injury.

· Trust’s position: There were no concerns with feeding, the discharge was reasonable, and the deterioration occurred only after discharge and could not have been avoided.

The claim was issued in the Leeds District Registry and was due to be heard over a seven-day trial, with expert evidence spanning midwifery, neuroradiology, neonatology, endocrinology, and paediatric neurology.

Despite disagreements between some experts and the complexity of the issues, Morrish Solicitors continued to press for the best possible outcome. A settlement was ultimately reached at a second Joint Settlement Meeting, with the Trust agreeing to pay a £4.6 million lump sum.

On what would have been the first day of trial, 23 March 2026, HHJ Mark Gargan (sitting as a Judge of the High Court) approved the settlement. In approving the award, the Judge commented:

“It seems to me this is a case where for the family such a substantial sum of money gives them a real opportunity to provide for the Claimant’s care in the future to enable him to have the best quality of life open to him, in circumstances where refusing the offer could leave him in a difficult situation indeed.”

The settlement will enable the family to secure essential specialist care, therapy, equipment, and appropriate accommodation to meet the child’s lifelong needs.

Ahead of the approval hearing, an expedited Court of Protection application was made by EMG Solicitors to appoint deputies. The child’s mother has also identified a suitable adapted single-storey property to ensure his needs can be safely met.

For the family, the settlement represents financial security, stability, and a significant improvement in quality of life following years of uncertainty.

Anna Sari, Head of Clinical Negligence at Morrish Solicitors, said:

“It has been an incredibly long journey for the family to reach this point. I am extremely pleased with the outcome and that the parties were able to resolve the matter without the need for a full trial. The case was by no means straightforward. My client has fought tirelessly for many years to secure justice for her child, despite the Trust’s continued refusal to accept fault.

“The emotional burden she has carried through this process has been immense and her perseverance is a testament to her strength as a devoted mum. This life-changing settlement

will provide financial security and enable the child to access the vital long-term support, care and therapy he needs to improve his quality of life.”

Image provided by Morrish Solicitors

Alicia Ward