A teenager from Bridgend in south Wales has been awarded £6.5 million in compensation, after the local health board admitted medical negligence at her birth.

The Press Association reports that 15-year-old Rhiannon Hayman suffered from severe oxygen deprivation when she was delivered at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend in November 1994. She is unable to walk without help, talk or feed herself – and will require round-the-clock care for the rest of her life.

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board admitted liability for the birth injuries that Rhiannon sustained.

Rhiannon attended court in London to hear details of the settlement – and Mr Justice Owen praised the devotion of her family and Rhiannon herself:

‘I am deeply impressed with everything that I have read about Rhiannon,’ he said.

‘She is a remarkable young lady and one cannot help being moved by her positive attitude to life – her sheer zest for life that shines out, despite the grievous misfortune she suffered at birth.’

The judge went on to say that Rhiannon’s mother Suthathip had ‘borne the heaviest burden’ of her daughter’s situation – but praised the ‘devoted care’ given to her by the whole family, including her father David, brother Rhys and sister Becky.

After the hearing, Mrs Hayman said:

‘The effect of our daughter's disability has been devastating on us and our whole family.

‘Money cannot change what has happened to Rhiannon. However, we hope that it will fund her complex needs for many years to come.’

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