10 Medico-Legal Red Flags in Paediatric Brain Injury Claims

This checklist, based on insights shared by Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon Mr Ibrahim Jalloh during INNEG’s May 2025 webinar, “Paediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Clinical Insights and Medico-Legal Considerations”, distils ten recurring pitfalls solicitors should look for when reviewing paediatric TBI claims. From failures to perform timely CT or MRI imaging, to delayed escalation despite neurological red flags, to inappropriate transfer pathways where a Major Trauma Centre should have been involved, each red flag highlights where accepted standards of care may have slipped into breach. Missed opportunities to prevent secondary brain injury, inadequate consideration of cervical spine trauma, and over-reliance on adult head injury frameworks can all materially affect causation. Longer-term issues, including cognitive impairment, endocrine dysfunction, epilepsy risk, and future care needs, often stem from these early failures and carry significant implications for quantum.

This quick-reference tool gives you an at-a-glance way to spot potential breaches in paediatric traumatic brain injury cases, saving time when reviewing records and helping you decide where to dig deeper.