Why I was allowed to be born: UK woman wins millions suing doctor

London: Evie Toombes, a star showjumper from the UK, who sued her mother's doctor after she was born with spina bifida, claiming that she should never have been born, shall receive millions in damages, reports The Sun.

The 20-year-old woman has a spinal defect which means that she sometimes spends entire days connected to tubes. She approached the court saying her mother's doctor, Dr Philip Mitchell, failed to advise her mother to take folic acid supplements to minimize the risk of spina bifida in the baby. If the doctor had properly advised her mother, she would have delayed the pregnancy, meaning she would never have been born in the first place, claim Evie.

"I was advised that if I had a good diet previously, I would not have to take folic acid," Evie's mother told the court.

Judge Rosalind Coe QC of the London High Court ruled that if the doctor had given Evie's mother correct recommended advice, she would have indeed delayed attempts to conceive.

"In the circumstances, there would have been a later conception, which would have resulted in a normal healthy child," she said, awarding Evie Toombes the right to a huge payout.

Though the exact sum has not been calculated, it would likely be a huge amount as it would need to cover Evie's lifelong care requirements. The landmark ruling holds that a healthcare professional can be held responsible for improper pre-conception advice if the baby is born with serious health conditions as a result.