Rhode Island Developmental Milestone Attorney

Claims for Injury Causing Developmental Delays in Infants and Children

Every parent hopes their child will reach developmental milestones on time. From crawling to speaking their first words, to learning how to hold a crayon, most children progress through key developmental stages within a certain time frame. Discovering your baby has significant developmental delays is devastating, especially if it could have been prevented with proper medical care.

While some developmental delays can arise from basic genetics or problems during pregnancy, many instances are tragically caused by medical negligence during labor and/or delivery. Various disabilities attributed to birth injuries can be the direct cause of these delays, leading to lifelong conditions such as cerebral palsy, brain damage, and other neurological impairments.

How Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. Can Help Your Family

When your child's future is impacted by a preventable birth injury, you need legal representation with unparalleled experience and a proven track record. Our developmental delay birth injury attorneys in Rhode Island are here to listen to your story with compassion and help you recover a fair settlement to ensure your child receives the proper treatment, support, and resources they need for a lifetime of care.

At Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C., we bring:

• 50 Years of Pioneering Experience: Established in 1975, we were Rhode Island's first law firm to specialize in personal injury, and we continue to set the standard for excellence in complex medical negligence cases, including those involving developmental delays.
• Unmatched Expertise & Resources: Our team boasts over 200 years of combined experience and includes 9 attorneys specializing in Medical Malpractice Litigation. We have the deep knowledge, skill, and financial resources to take on well-funded insurance companies and healthcare systems.
• Access to Leading Medical Experts: Proving the link between a birth injury and subsequent developmental delays is notoriously complex. Our 5 decades of experience in this field, combined with our access to top experts in pediatrics, neurology, and obstetrics, enables us to meticulously review medical records, identify deviations from the standard of care, and establish fault.
• Record-Setting Results: We have recovered over $1 Billion for our clients, including record-setting verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice and birth injury cases that have secured futures for countless families.

Call (401) 200-4059for a free consultationwith one of our Rhode Island developmental milestone lawyers. We are here to provide honest answers and guide you through every step.

Recognizing Symptoms of Developmental Delays

Developmental delays can manifest in various ways and at different ages. While some delays may be natural or attributed to other conditions, many are directly linked to birth injuries caused by medical negligence. It's crucial for parents to monitor their child's progress and seek professional evaluation if concerns arise.

Here are some common developmental milestones and potential signs of delay, particularly relevant for infants and toddlers:

For Infants (0-12 months):

• Motor Skills: Difficulty holding head up, rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or reaching for objects. Lack of muscle tone or stiffness.
• Cognitive Skills: Lack of eye contact, not responding to sounds or voices, not showing interest in faces or objects.
• Social/Emotional Skills: Not smiling, not babbling, not showing affection or responding to comfort.

For Toddlers (1-3 years):

• Language Skills: By age two, a child typically understands around 200 words and speaks at least 50 words, linking two words together (e.g., “want juice,” “no bed”). Speech should be clear enough for parents to understand at least half of those words.
• Cognitive Skills: Difficulty finding hidden objects, not engaging in simple make-believe games, trouble sorting objects by color or shape.
• Motor Skills: Not yet running, difficulty holding a utensil or feeding themselves, lack of coordination for coloring or kicking a ball.
• Physical Skills: Not standing on tiptoes, persistent clumsiness.
• Social Skills: Not showing independence, not copying behaviors of others, not excited to be around other children, displaying extreme defiance.

If your child exhibits these or other concerning signs, seeking a medical evaluation is the first step. If you suspect a birth injury may be the underlying cause, our attorneys can help investigate.

Developmental Delays Caused by Birth Injuries

Developmental delays can stem from a variety of birth injuries, often resulting from a mistake made by the medical team during labor or delivery. Our firm has extensive experience investigating these complex connections.

Common birth injuries that can lead to developmental delays include:

• Traumatic or Prolonged Labor: Can lead to oxygen deprivation or physical trauma, impacting brain development.
• Vacuum Extractor or Forceps Injuries: Improper use of these tools can cause head trauma, nerve damage (like brachial plexus injuries), or intracranial hemorrhage, all of which can result in developmental issues.
• C-Section Errors, including Delayed C-sections: A delay in performing a necessary Cesarean section can lead to fetal distress and oxygen deprivation, a primary cause of brain damage and conditions like cerebral palsy.
• Failure to Monitor Fetal Distress: When medical professionals fail to act quickly when the baby is in distress, the baby could be deprived of oxygen and suffer severe brain damage, leading to lifelong developmental delays.
• Failure to Diagnose or Treat Infections: Untreated maternal infections (e.g., Group B Strep) or neonatal infections can lead to severe complications, including meningitis or sepsis, causing brain damage and developmental impairments.
• Preeclampsia and Eclampsia: If not properly managed, these maternal conditions can lead to premature birth or fetal distress, increasing the risk of developmental delays.
• Anesthesia Errors: Mistakes in administering anesthesia to the mother can affect the baby's oxygen supply or cause direct harm, leading to neurological issues and developmental problems.

Was your baby the victim of a birth injury that led to developmental delays? If you’re unsure, we can help you assemble a solid case to uncover medical malpractice. We have helped many families like yours seek justice against those who caused birth injuries.

Seek Justice for Your Child's Future

Caring for a child with significant developmental delays can be extremely taxing and costly, often requiring lifelong medical care, therapies, and specialized support. You deserve the funds and resources to care for your child correctly, especially if someone else’s negligence or carelessness caused their injury.

Our Rhode Island developmental delays attorneys are dedicated to fighting for your rights. We understand the profound impact these injuries have on families, and we are committed to providing the legal resources and support to make seeking justice easier. We believe no child should suffer medical negligence, and if your baby was harmed because of someone else’s mistake, we want to help ensure you receive the compensation you need to recover in peace.

Contact Decof, Mega & Quinn, P.C. today or call (401) 200-4059 to schedule your free, confidential case evaluation.