Every child grows on their own timeline—but when developmental milestones are significantly delayed, parents start to ask questions. Sometimes the answer is a simple variation in development. Other times, delays may signal an underlying brain injury that occurred at or around the time of birth. At Van Wey & Metzler, we help families in Houston investigate whether their child’s delays are connected to a preventable medical mistake.
If your child is falling behind—and your concerns are being dismissed—it may be time to take a deeper look.
Developmental delays occur when a child does not reach key milestones within the expected age range. These milestones cover multiple areas of growth, including movement, speech, learning, social skills, and self-care.
Delays can be temporary and minor—or they can reflect serious, lifelong neurological conditions.
When delays are diagnosed across more than one category, doctors may label them as global developmental delays, which are often linked to brain injuries like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy.
Some children are born with congenital conditions. But others sustain injury before, during, or shortly after delivery due to negligent medical care. Oxygen deprivation, traumatic delivery, or untreated infections can damage developing brain tissue, leading to lifelong complications.
In many of the cases we handle, the child’s developmental delays weren’t random—they were preventable.
Even when the signs are subtle at first, delays may reveal a much bigger story of medical negligence and missed opportunities.
It’s not always easy to tell when a child is behind, especially if they are your first. But if your instincts are telling you something is wrong, don’t ignore them. Parents are often the first to notice early red flags.
Here are a few examples of what to look for:
You may also notice other issues—muscle stiffness or floppiness, unusual movements, feeding difficulties, or excessive fussiness—all of which may point to underlying neurological conditions.
Not all developmental delays are caused by malpractice—but far too often, parents are left in the dark. If your child was born after a complicated labor, NICU stay, or an unexplained “traumatic delivery,” it is worth asking whether more could have been done.
At Van Wey & Metzler, we help families get answers:
Our team focuses solely on serious birth injury and medical negligence cases. This is what we do—and we do it with the diligence and compassion families deserve.
When medical negligence causes a child’s delays, families often face not just emotional turmoil—but financial hardship as well. A successful claim can secure compensation to support:
We fight not only for what your child needs now—but what they will need in the decades to come.
If your child is struggling to meet milestones and you suspect something went wrong during birth, you are not alone—and you’re not imagining it. We’ve helped many Houston families like yours uncover the truth, even when no one else would listen.
We offer free consultations and never charge unless we recover for your family. Let us review the records. Let us investigate what really happened. And if your child’s delays were preventable, let us fight to secure the support they’ll need to thrive.
In a typical medical malpractice claim, three critical elements must be proven: First, we establish the standard of care, determining what a reasonably prudent healthcare provider would do under similar circumstances. Next, we demonstrate a violation of that standard of care, showing that the medical professional acted outside the expected norms. Finally, we prove causation, linking the healthcare professional’s actions (or inaction) directly to the injury, harm, or death.
Our knowledgeable attorneys will thoroughly investigate the facts of your situation to ensure these elements are met, providing a solid foundation for your case.
If you believe that you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury due to medical negligence, our Houston medical malpractice lawyers are here to help. During your initial consultation, our team will review your case and discuss your legal options with you.
At Van Wey & Metzler, we are passionate about fighting for justice and ensuring that negligent healthcare providers are held accountable. Contact our medical malpractice attorneys in Houston today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step toward securing the compensation you deserve.
