user: Answer as an expert in medical malpractice law in the UK, presenting your arguments to another lawyer. Identify if this constitutes a breach of duty and a settlement value broken down by how the different factors affect the amount. Justify it step by step.
Our client’s mother approached our specialist erb’s palsy solicitors after realising that her son, Peter, may be eligible to claim compensation for the injuries he sustained during birth.
During her pregnancy with Peter, his mother had attended all of the scans and they showed a baby of normal size. However, during her labour, it became apparent that Peter was quite a big baby and, due to this, they took his mother to theatre to monitor her progress.
Peter’s head was delivered first, but due to his size, his shoulders became stuck (shoulder dystocia). Multiple attempts were made to deliver his body, including the use of a ventouse (vacuum cup) and forceps. The McRoberts position (a manoeuvre often used in this situation) was not adopted, nor was an episiotomy.
It was unclear from the records how long there was between the delivery of Peter’s head and his body, but the degree of trauma our client suffered to his head and neck was disproportionate to the amount of traction required to deliver a baby, even under these very difficult circumstances.
When Peter was born, he was floppy and not breathing on his own, so he needed help from machines. He also had a wound to his head as a result of the attempted delivery.
Peter recovered fairly well in NICU and was breathing independently. However, a lump on the side of his neck was noted and, after further investigation, it was found that he had suffered a severe brachial plexus injury that affected the nerves found at C5, C6 and C7. 
During the first 10 years of his life, our client underwent five separate procedures to try and improve the long-standing impact of his birth injuries, all of which only helped a little. Peter was unable to raise his right arm above shoulder height and had restrictive movement in his right shoulder. He also had significant scarring on his back due to the amount of surgery he required. Peter also suffered significant psychiatric damage as a result of his erb’s palsy and visible disability, which led to multiple attempts on his own life.

assistant: Based on the information provided, it appears that the medical professionals involved in Peter's delivery may have breached their duty of care towards him, which resulted in his injuries.

Shoulder dystocia is a known risk during childbirth, especially when delivering larger babies. Therefore, it is crucial that the medical staff take the necessary steps to manage the situation effectively. In this case, it appears that the McRoberts position and an episiotomy, both commonly used techniques to manage shoulder dystocia, were not attempted.

Furthermore, it is concerning that the degree of trauma Peter suffered was disproportionate to the amount of traction required to deliver a baby, even under these very difficult circumstances. This indicates that excessive force may have been used during the delivery, which could have caused his brachial plexus injury.

Given these factors, it is likely that the medical staff involved breached their duty of care towards Peter.

Regarding the settlement value, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, the severity and extent of Peter's injuries, including the fact that he underwent multiple surgeries and has significant scarring and limited movement, will have a significant impact on the settlement amount.

Secondly, his age at the time of the injury is also important since it has affected his life for a significant period. The psychiatric damage he suffered and the impact on his mental health and quality of life will also need to be taken into account.

Finally, the economic losses incurred, including the cost of past and future medical treatments and any loss of income due to his injuries, will also affect the settlement amount.

Based on these factors, it is reasonable to assume that the settlement value for Peter's case could be substantial, potentially in the range of several hundred thousand pounds to over a million pounds. However, the precise amount would depend on the specific details of the case and the extent of the injuries suffered by Peter.