Girl (9) settles action over shoulder injury at birth for €525,000

A young girl who it was claimed suffered a shoulder injury during her birth at Kerry General Hospital has settled her High Court action for €525,000.

Selena Guz, now aged nine, has done very well and can do handstands and cartwheels and also plays basketball and other sports, her counsel Dr John O'Mahony SC said.

Selena, of Riverchapel Glen, Riverchapel, Courtown, Co Wexford had, through her mother Ann Marie Coffey, sued the HSE over the management of her birth at Kerry General Hospital, Tralee, in April 2009.

Ms Coffey had requested the management of her pregnancy be carried out at the Kerry hospital so she could be near her grandfather, who lived in Tralee at the time.

It was claimed that, during the birth, excessive traction was applied to the baby when there was shoulder dystocia.

It was further claimed there was failure to ensure the baby was delivered by a practitioner with sufficient experience to avoid applying excessive traction when there was shoulder dystocia.

When Selena was born on April 14th, 2009, it was claimed she had limitation of movement of the right shoulder and would suffer a permanent weakness and restriction of movement of her right arm.

The claims were denied.

The settlement was approved on Tuesday by Mr Justice Kevin Cross.