When Idris was born in September 2020, his family had no idea that a missed opportunity to treat a common condition would have life-changing consequences. In this video case study, Idris’ mother, Malali, shares their journey, from the early signs of jaundice to a delayed referral, the diagnosis of kernicterus, and the discovery that her concerns were not only valid but should have led to urgent action.

JMW’s clinical negligence team helped Idris’ family uncover what went wrong and secure the expert care and financial support he needs for the future. With the advice of Eddie Jones, head of JMW’s medical negligence department, Malali and her family were able to access essential services and regain some stability after the shock and trauma of Idris’ early injury.

JMW continues to support families like Idris’ through complex, emotionally difficult medical negligence claims, helping them understand their rights and plan for a safer, more supported future.

Watch Idris' story below to learn more about the difference early legal advice can make, or read the full transcript below.

My name is Malali and I'm Idris's mum. Idris is a cheeky monkey; everything about Idris is special!

Idris was born on September 14th 2020. A couple of days after Idris was born, he developed jaundice. I contacted my midwife just to raise some concern. I was told that it was just normal, but the following day I noticed that Idris was becoming more sleepy. I was struggling with feeding, and I felt this was not normal, so I called the ambulance.

When they tested the level of bilirubin, it was off the chart, so we were transferred to a specialist hospital and given a double blood transfusion. It's very vague, that conversation with the consultant who came with the results; I just remember him saying that there's quite a lot of white spots, and that's when they used the term: kernicterus brain damage.

The midwife failed to follow NHS guidelines and missed the danger Idris was in, delaying his hospital referral. The injury to Idris’ brain has caused cerebral palsy in all four limbs, a visual impairment, and hearing loss.

You just feel your world is just collapsing on all angles, and you just feel helpless. We thought something drastically must have gone wrong here.

It wasn't until speaking to Eddie Jones that it just all made sense. JMW has helped us immensely; having a private team who are so enthusiastic about the future, about Idris, about what he will be able to achieve. Having the expert knowledge of Eddie and the rest of the firm is just a weight off your shoulders.

Idris will have live-in carers in future as he grows. Life can be challenging, but to have the disabilities that Idris has and not to worry about work, about paying bills, this will just all allow Idris to have the best possible life that he can live.