A Saudi court has awarded a large financial compensation to an Arab family after a newborn child suffered cerebral palsy as a result of a medical error.
On Wednesday, Okaz newspaper reported that the Jeddah Court of Appeal approved a ruling by the Shariah Health Authority, obligating a team of 3 doctors to compensate a father and mother of Arab nationality in the amount of one million riyals (about 266,000 dollars).
This ruling came after the team, including a consultant and anesthesiologist, was convicted in a medical facility of cerebral palsy, which led to the disruption of all parties.
The parents initially demanded 100 million riyals to cover the expenses of treatment, care and rehabilitation of their child for at least the next forty years.
The father of the child explained in his lawsuit that he and his wife lived, for three years, without vacations or rest, to reconcile work and family, and to follow up on their son’s treatment, which cost them in the past three years more than one million riyals, with the health insurance not covering all the necessary needs.
The case witnessed several sessions, during which the competent department heard the parties to the case, and concluded that the medical facility was convicted and obligated to compensate the child with one million riyals for the damages incurred to him.
The Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, and it became final.