€13.3 Million Compensation Ordered in Spain's Largest Ever Medical Negligence Case

Spain's Highest-Ever Medical Negligence Award

A Madrid court has ordered the Hospital of Sagunto in Valencia to pay €13.3 million in compensation following medical negligence during childbirth — the largest medical negligence award ever recorded in Spain. The incident occurred in November 2019, when a child sustained severe neurological damage due to oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) during labour.

What the Court Found

The judgment identified multiple specific failures in the management of the birth, all of which the court determined "fell below accepted clinical standards" and directly caused the hypoxic injury:

• Inadequate fetal monitoring during labour
• Failure to respond appropriately to signs of fetal distress
• Delays in performing an emergency caesarean section
• Inappropriate use of delivery instruments

The Child's Condition

As a result of the hypoxic injury sustained at birth, the child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, with significant physical and cognitive impairment. The child requires permanent supervision and assistance with mobility, communication, and daily needs.

What the €13.3 Million Covers

The compensation award is structured to cover the child's lifetime care costs, including:

• Medical treatment and ongoing therapies
• Rehabilitation
• Assistive equipment
• Adapted housing
• Professional care services

The scale of the award reflects the lifelong nature of the injuries and the comprehensive level of care the child will require indefinitely.

What Happens Next

The ruling may be subject to appeal to a higher court. The case is likely to prompt wider discussion in Spain about standards of care in public maternity services and the legal framework surrounding obstetric negligence.

This article is based on reporting from Euro Weekly News, published May 4, 2026.