The High Court in Dublin recently approved a settlement for a 32 year old man whose mother had issued proceedings against a number of parties in respect of an alleged failure to diagnose autism in childhood which she argued led to him missing out on an autism-specific education.
The Plaintiff has an autism spectrum disorder which was not diagnosed with until shortly prior to his 18th birthday. The court was told that the Plaintiff is largely unable to read or write or do any mathematical problems. The Plaintiff had been placed in a general special education school without any or adequate assessment of his needs or progress and it was argued that there was a failure to diagnose his condition adequately or at all and to provide autism-specific educational service.
The case was taken against the HSE, the Minister for Education, Ireland and the Attorney General, as well as Brothers of Charity Services, Renmore, Galway which provides services for individuals with intellectual disabilities and the board of management of St Joseph’s Special School, Newcastle, Co Galway.
The settlement reached was for €125,000 euro and was made without admission of liability.
Worthingtons Solicitors have a team of Solicitors with extensive experience in handling educational negligence cases arising from failures to diagnose ASD, dyslexia and other conditions. If you believe that an education provider has been negligent in providing advice or making a diagnosis in respect of you or a family member which has resulted loss we will gladly provide advice on all aspects of educational negligence claims in Northern Ireland.
Contact Brian Moss or Emily Dickson at our Belfast office on 02890434015 for advice and guidance on this process.
028 9043 4015 
