THE HIGH COURT has approved a significant damages settlement for a teenage girl who suffered catastrophic injuries during her birth. 

The settlement totals €23.5 million and is believed to be the largest such settlement in the State’s history. 

16-year-old Kameela Kuye from Cork took the case against the HSE through her father Jimmy with the HSE settling the action without an admission of liability. 

In a statement by the family’s solicitor Emma Meagher Neville, the Kuye family say the damages will not alleviate the “profound” injuries suffered by the child.  

“After a long and arduous battle the amount of damages approved and ruled upon by the court today represents a significant figure in personal injury litigation in this country.

The settlement was reached without an admission of liability. No amount of money can change Kameela’s life, and the damages will not alleviate Kamcela’s injuries, which are profound.

“However, the settlement reached will assist with Kameela’s care needs into the future and will mean that she will have a better quality of life. Kameela has a remarkable family who are pleased that the litigation has been completed, they wish to thank all the experts retained on their behalf and whose assistance facilitated the settlement and also wish to pay tribute to their daughter Kameela who has the most beautiful smile and a great sense of humour.”

The child was born in 2004 at St Finbarr’s Hospital in Cork with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. She was deprived of oxygen resulting in severe brain injury. 

Counsel for the family John O’Mahony SC said the case hinged on the level of monitoring of the baby in the final two hours before delivery and he had argued that the level of monitoring fell short of guidelines.