The High Court has approved a settlement of €65,000 for the parents and three of the siblings of a baby boy who died two weeks after his delivery at Sligo General Hospital.
Dean and Samantha Weaver, Mohedian House, Croghan, Boyle, Co Roscommon, had sued the North Western Health Board for loss and injury and mental distress arising from the death of their son, Jacob, on January 30th, 1998, 15 days after he was delivered at Sligo General Hospital.
Pregnant with twins, Ms Weaver was admitted to the hospital with contractions in the early morning of January 15th. The first twin, Gabriella, was born at 8.08 a.m. and Jacob was delivered at 8.56 a.m. by emergency Caesarean section. The couple claimed that, due to the negligence of the hospital and its agents, the child sustained severe brain injuries as a result of lack of oxygen during labour.
Ms Weaver claimed she was told that an incorrect diagnosis of breech delivery had been made prior to the decision to direct an emergency delivery by Caesarean section. She also claimed there was no explanation given for the absence of a consultant in the delivery room.
She said she had become preoccupied with Jacob's loss and felt she had "been robbed". She continued to experience extreme difficulty in seeing twins.
After the child's death, Mr Weaver was unable to believe the child had died and experienced shock. He experienced disturbed sleep patterns and had regular bad dreams.