12 Companies Leading The Way In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity this can be devastating for the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing an action to collect compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should seek legal counsel as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits will help you determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during pregnancy, birth defect attorneys labor, or delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for birth defect attorneys you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the root of a child's birth defect. Many birth defect law firms defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is especially true in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect, so they can sue companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals are used in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys (www.Springmall.net) have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.