Plaistow girl blinded by premature birth complications

A PLAISTOW girl tragically blinded by a rare complication of her premature birth today won the right to millions in compensation from the two hospitals which treated her after she was born.

Chloe Daniell can only perceive dim light, and even this ability may ultimately be lost to her after her retinas became detached due to a disabling condition linked to her premature birth.

Chloe was born in Whitechapel’s The Royal London Hospital in March 2001, where she received prolonged treatment at its intensive care unit. She was then transferred to Newham General Hospital on May 28, where she remained until her discharge home.

Lawyers claimed medics at both hospitals failed Chloe.

Mr Glancy told Mrs Justice Swift the case was complicated by the fact that Chloe has developed a form of autism which may have been exacerbated by her lack of vision.

Through her mother, Kathleen Daniell, Chloe sued the managers of both hospitals - Barts and the London NHS Trust and Newham University Hospital NHS Trust - alleging clinical negligence.

And now she is due a massive damages payout after the Trusts agreed she should be compensated on the basis of two-thirds liability.

Defence counsel, Sarah Vaughan-Jones QC, said the Trusts were “delighted it has been possible to compromise what would have been a difficult and complex case”.

Lawyers confirmed outside court that she should be due “several million” pounds.