Overview
Birth Trauma Lawyers: Seeking Compensation for Birth Injuries
Intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) can occur from a number of injuries or other causes. For some babies, an IDD is immediately noticeable, but for others, it may not be noticed until they are a few years old. If medical negligence was the cause of your child’s IDD, it is important to talk with an attorney to seek compensation to help with your child’s pediatric healthcare and special education needs.
In the following video, Founding Partner Stephan D. Blandin discusses birth injuries and Romanucci & Blandin's experience with birth injury cases:
What is an intellectual disability and developmental disability?
IDD are disorders that are usually present at birth and uniquely affect the trajectory of an individual’s development. An intellectual disability affects the functioning or intelligence of a person as well as their adaptive behaviors. A developmental disability is a broader term that can include intellectual development, physical development or both, resulting in an intellectual disability like autism. These IDD can arise from a variety of determinants, such as genetic conditions, brain injury, medical malpractice during birth or other forms of healthcare failures during the neurodevelopmental process. While there are many determinants for the cause of an intellectual or developmental disability if medical negligence is the root cause of the disorder you may be entitled to compensation.
IDD can be classified into four different systematic impairment categories:
- Nervous System - These disorders affect how the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system function which can cause impairment, affecting intelligence and learning.
- Sensory System - These disorders affect the sense or how the brain processes or interprets information from the senses.
- Metabolism - These disorders affect how the body digests food and nutrients for energy and growth.
- Degenerative - Individuals with degenerative disorders may not show them until developmental milestones. This can look like disruptions in skills, abilities, and functions. In some cases, the disorder may not be detected until they are a child or adolescent.
Types of developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities:
- ADHD
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Behavioral health
- Cerebral palsy
- Down Syndrome
- Epilepsy
- Fragile X Syndrome
- Other intellectual functioning impairments
Early intervention, providers and strategic planning for birth injuries and IDD
Healthcare providers and government resources through local, state and federal health and human services have initiatives for early intervention to help with the issues faced by individuals would have intellectual functioning disabilities. These resources can be accessed online through webinars and agency or non-profit websites, such as the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD).
Pediatric healthcare in early childhood can help families deal with the health disparities faced by children who have brain injuries or intellectual disabilities such as ADHD, autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, Fragile X Syndrome, epilepsy and other disorders and genetic conditions. Forming a strategic plan with pediatric healthcare providers based on the AAIDD’s recommendations can aid family members and caregivers, in conjunction with clinicians, to find intervention services that can aid in supporting problem-solving for adaptive behavior issues through positive at-home and clinical care neurodevelopment treatment.
Advocacy for individuals facing IDD will typically take mental health, using psychiatrists and other providers, into account to combat health disparities that arise for children or adolescents with intellectual disabilities.
Free consultation on your case by Chicago-based birth injury lawyers
The IDD attorneys at Romanucci & Blandin have proven success in these types of cases. If you or a loved one has suffered medical malpractice resulting in an IDD, please contact our office at 312-458-1000 or click here for a free case evaluation. There is never a fee until you are compensated for your injuries at the end of the case.
Disclaimer: The content found on this page is not legal assistance and contacting the birth injury lawyers at Romanucci & Blandin’s law office for a free consultation regarding personal injury cases and birth injury claims does not constitute an attorney-client relationship.
