Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide On Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you file for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should seek legal counsel as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held accountable for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be accountable for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to recognize or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of these can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur because of medications. Many common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for future and current medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the root of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens because they affect the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be present in a variety situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who have children who were born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes their child's birth defect may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, Defect food and water Some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect law firms defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.