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Blake Lapthorn secures £2.5m settlement for client in clinical negligence case against general practitioner
Tuesday, 21 September 2010 18:08 | 
Written by Administrator | 
Blake Lapthorn, one of the leading law firms in the UK, is pleased to announce that its client, Mr Nathan Preece, has today been awarded substantial compensation as a result of negligence of his General Practitioner at the time, Dr David Wise.
A claim was issued in the High Court on Nathan's behalf against Dr Wise and a compromise settlement has been reached whereby Nathan will receive £2.5 million to help to provide care for the rest of his life. There are no allegations of negligence on the part of hospital staff where Nathan was born.
Nathan suffered catastrophic brain damage in the period immediately following his birth in June 1990, which he alleges was the avoidable result of Dr Wise failing to identify and respond appropriately to signs of his Mother's pre-term labour and to send her immediately to hospital by blue light ambulance where, applying the Hospital's procedures at that time, the pregnancy is likely to have been prolonged long enough for drugs to strengthen Nathan's lungs to have been administered.
By the time that Mrs Preece was admitted to hospital, it was too late for lung strengthening drugs to be given and Nathan was born at 31 weeks' gestation, subsequently developed a collapsed lung that caused lack of oxygen to his brain, which has culminated in him suffering from severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, severe learning difficulties, epilepsy and behavioural problems. Nathan is wheelchair bound and needs 24-hour care.
Sue Jarvis, a partner in the Clinical Negligence team at Blake Lapthorn solicitors in Oxford said: "Nathan's parents have cared lovingly for their son over many years and the money that will be paid into the Court of Protection will be used to provide much needed aids and equipment, and to supplement the constant 24-hour care and attention that his parents lovingly bestow upon him."
"Mr and Mrs Preece are delighted with the settlement, much of which will be invested on Nathan's behalf to provide care when his parents are no longer able to give him the constant attention that he needs. The claim was not brought earlier because Nathan's previous solicitors advised his parents that a claim was unlikely to be successful so everyone is delighted by the result."
Mr Preece is 19-years old and lives with his parents, Wendy and Richard Preece, and two younger siblings in Wantage. Dr Wise who is still a practising GP in Wantage has not admitted liability.
The case (claim number HQ07X04283) was heard in The High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division at the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand, London.
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