10 Meetups Around Birth Defect Litigation You Should Attend

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held accountable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail detect fetal distress or don't respond appropriately. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. While many birth defect law firms defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur due to medications. A variety of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's duty is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses associated with the disability or injury and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for birth defects so they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of environments, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. 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 exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family is concerned that the birth defect in their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb pollutants from the environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause numerous birth defects, as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are also associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and Birth defect attorneys video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.