Boy (9) settles case against hospital over allegedly not diagnosing complication in pre-birth scan

A boy who sued claiming a rare pregnancy complication was allegedly not diagnosed when his mother had an ultrasound scan has settled a High Court action with a €1.5 million interim payout.

Ricci Meehan’s mother Maria appealed to hospitals and maternity units to in future routinely screen at the 20-week scan for Vasa praevia, a rare complication that can occur during pregnancy. Vasa praevia involves some of the blood vessels that connect the umbilical cord laying over or near the entrance to the birth canal.

The settlement against the Rotunda Hospital was without an admission of liability.

Mr Justice Paul Coffey was told the interim payment, which is for the next five years, represents half of the claim and when the case comes back before the court in 2027 it will be assessed on a 50 per cent basis.

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In denying all claims, the Rotunda Hospital contended that screening for Vasa praevia was neither indicated nor recommended nor in accordance with best practice and that appropriate guidelines at the time were to the effect that routine screening should not be performed.

Ms Meehan told the judge she hoped her son’s case would bring changes. Ricci, now nine-years-old, is neurologically impaired and had to be resuscitated “for a long time” after his birth. The judge thanked Ms Meehan for her very powerful statement and said it could be of great value to countless other children.

Ricci, from north Dublin, had through Ms Meehan sued the Rotunda Hospital, of Parnell Square, Dublin, over the care provided to his mother when she was pregnant. It was claimed there was an alleged failure to diagnose Vasa praevia at any time during the performance of the four ultrasound examinations carried out during the pregnancy.

It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to carry out any proper tests to allegedly properly diagnose the condition such that an adequate treatment plan could be initiated. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to properly treat the baby or his mother.

The Rotunda Hospital denied all the claims and further denied that it was negligent or in breach of duty in not diagnosing the condition of the baby in utero as alleged. The hospital said Vasa praevia was not identified nor diagnosed in the case and it would maintain that there was no Vasa praevia present.

The Meehan family’s counsel, Aongus O’Brolchain SC, instructed by Michael Boylan solicitors, told the court that in the US and Australia it is mandated to look for Vasa praevia when carrying out the scan at 20 weeks when sonographers look for certain defects or any anomaly.

Approving the settlement, the judge conveyed his best wishes to Ricci and his family.