Parisโค Court Upholdsโฃ Partial Compensation for Mother Paralyzed During Childbirth
Paris, France – Aโฃ Paris administrative โcourt has ruled in favor of a mother who suffered โคparalysisโ in โboth legs following a complication duringโ a cesarean section, though the awarded compensation remains significantly less than she sought. The ruling, dated โSeptember 23, 2025, and recentlyโ made public, details the woman’s legal battle with Oniam, โthe French association responsible for compensating victims of medical accidents when establishing liability of healthcare โproviders proves difficult.
The mother experienced an “extraordinary complication โขof the perimedullary โคanesthesia” administered during childbirth,resulting in a spinal โคcord injury and permanent functional deficit estimated at over 60%. She initially requested โฃa “provision” of 150,000 euros to cover futureโฃ compensation for her โขdamages. โA summary judge initially awarded 45,056โค euros in September 2024, aโฃ figure both parties appealed. Oniam offered โa โmaximum of 32,000 โฃeuros.
The court of โappeal ultimately increased the “provision” to โค49,118.56 euros, acknowledging theโ “conditions of โขabnormality and seriousness”โค of the injury andโค establishing Oniam’s liability.โ
The awarded funds are โขintended to help cover the costsโ of adaptive equipment, โฃincluding aโ wheelchair, a standing chair, a bath lift, โคand a terrace access ramp, all documented in an occupational therapist’s report. However, the court denied compensation for “purchases of protections and wipes” โrelated to vesico-sphincterโ disorders, citing insufficient documentation -โฃ only โa single receipt was provided.
Further complicating theโค mother’s situation is her housing. Following her delivery,โฃ she was initially hospitalized for over a year. Upon returning home in February 2023, she found her family’s 18th-floor apartment lacked an elevator and was otherwise unsuitableโฃ for a person with โฃa disability, necessitating ongoing third-party assistance. The courtโ acknowledged the โฃneed for this assistance.
