A man who suffered catastrophic injuries during the circumstances of his birth at City General Hospital, Cork is to receive a further €1.45 million to meet his care costs over the next five years.
Connor Corroon (19), Copsetown, Mallow, Co Cork, is permanently disabled, cannot speak and is confined to a wheelchair.
Through his family, he appealed to the High Court for a final lump sum payment to finally settle his legal action, but a judge ruled he must instead accept a periodic payment.
Four years ago, he secured an interim payment of €1.6 million under a part settlement of his action, while another payment of €475,000 was made last year.
Mr Justice Bernard Barton approved the latest payment of €1.45 million and terms of settlement covering his care for the next five years.
Through his mother Judith Corroon, Connor had sued City General Hospital Cork and Dr Pallany Pillay, a consultant obstetrician, both of Infirmary Road, Cork, arising out of the circumstances of his birth at the hospital on February 6th, 1995.
Liability was conceded and the case partially settled with interim payments made.
The case was the first to be adjourned four years ago while the High Court awaits enactment of the necessary legislation to provide for staged payments to meet lifelong care needs in cases of catastrophic injury.
Approving the settlement and costs, Mr Justice Barton told the family he had, as one of the judges dealing with these type of cases, just received consultation paper from the Department of Justice relating to the legislation.
“It would appear that finally something is happening,” the judge said.
Counsel for the family Desmond O’Neill said they were happy with the settlement.
Ms Corroon had previously asked that the case finish with a final lump sum payemnt. The last four years had involved more than 20 assessments of her son to prepare for his return visits to the court for interim payments and had been “horrendous”, she said.
Her son hopes to go to university and to get on with his life and not have the “fishbowl” life undergoing assessments by different experts, she said.
Mr Justice Barton ruled Connor must accept another interuim payment and said it would be “catastrophic in another sense” if the court was to finalise the case on foot of a final capital lump sum and that money ran out later.