A Spanish court has awarded a record €13.3 million in compensation to a woman who suffered what has been described as obstetric violence during the birth of her son, in a case that has drawn national attention.
Andrea Téllez received the payout following a ruling that found medical negligence during the delivery of her child, Neizan, in 2019 at a hospital in the Valencia town of Sagunto. The judgement concluded that failures during labour led to a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain, leaving him with severe, lifelong disabilities.
Téllez had gone to hospital expecting a routine birth but endured a prolonged labour lasting many hours. She later recalled that doctors decided to induce delivery after delays, breaking her waters and attempting to extract the baby using a vacuum device.
‘They decided to induce labour and broke my water; they tried every way to get him out,’ she said.
During this period, she says she was left waiting despite developing a fever, before doctors eventually opted for an emergency caesarean section. By the time Neizan was delivered, he had stopped breathing and his heart was no longer beating. Although he was resuscitated, the lack of oxygen caused irreversible damage.
According to Téllez, she was not immediately informed of the seriousness of her son’s condition and did not see him for nearly 24 hours after the birth, after he was transferred to another hospital. She was initially told he may have inhaled meconium, but only later learned the full extent of his condition.
Now six years old, Neizan has been diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy, developmental delay and epilepsy. He has a recognised disability of 87% and is entirely dependent on his mother for care.
A Madrid court ruled that the injuries were the result of medical negligence, citing a failure to detect signs of oxygen deprivation during labour. It ordered the gynaecologist and midwife involved to pay more than €13 million in damages.
The compensation — one of the largest ever awarded in Spain — is intended to cover the extensive care Neizan will require throughout his life, including medical treatment, specialised support and necessary adaptations to the family home.
Despite the landmark ruling, Téllez said the outcome offers little consolation. ‘No money in the world will return my son’s health,’ she said in a recent TV interview (link below).
Her lawyer has noted that the decision could still be appealed, meaning the final amount or ruling may yet change.
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“13 millones de euros no devuelven la salud a mi hijo”.
— Y Ahora Sonsoles (@YAhoraSonsoles) May 4, 2026
🟠 Hablamos EN DIRECTO con Andrea, madre de Neizan.#YAS5May ▶️ https://t.co/FUaXHdwvsl pic.twitter.com/NzCzhWKmwv
Andrea recibirá la mayor indemnización por negligencia médica en España tras el parto de su hijo:
— Antena 3 Noticias (@A3Noticias) May 5, 2026
🗣”Me hacían empujar aunque yo no tenía contracciones”
Vía @EspejoPublico https://t.co/06qfvHlE4N
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