St John’s Wood boy left disabled by undiagnosed meningitis receives �3.5m payout
A St John’s Wood youngster who suffered major brain injuries after his GP allegedly failed to spot meningitis has been awarded �3.5million in compensation.
Samuel Roberts, now 11, was just 10 months old when he contracted the deadly virus.
It left him blind, paraplegic and with severe learning difficulties.
He was awarded the compensation at the High Court on Monday after his parents claimed a GP should have recognised the infection and sent him straight to hospital.
Samuel’s mother Karen took him to their family doctor in St John’s Wood in 2001 after he had suffered three days of fever, the court heard.
You may also want to watch:
Despite his condition, Samuel was not transferred to St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington until two days later. By this time, the virus had infected his brain.
Samuel now has cerebral palsy affecting all four limbs. He is blind and will be fully dependent on 24-hour care for the rest of his life.
Most Read
- 1 Is lockdown working in north London? Here's what the latest data tells us
- 2 Royal Free's critical care beds 98pc full as Covid-19 cases top 500
- 3 Joan Bakewell fires legal threat to government over second Covid jab
- 4 O2 Centre: developer Landsec 'looking to re-provide' Sainsbury's
- 5 Hospital staff describe 'distressing' battle against rising Covid cases
- 6 Camden man charged with prostitution offences and sexual exploitation
- 7 Lord's Cricket Ground used as Covid-19 vaccination centre
- 8 Billy Vunipola fails to impress as Saracens lose to Ealing
- 9 Royal Mail delays in Hornsey 'could see Covid-19 vaccination letters missed'
- 10 Housing: Billionaire owner of 'squalid shoeboxes' must 'up its game'
The GP initially insisted that hospitals could not cope if every baby brought in with similar symptoms was immediately transferred. But the doctor’s lawyers later agreed to settle the compensation claim.
The payout will be paid into a fund to provide yearly payments for Samuel’s ongoing care.