Birth Defect Litigation Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

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. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or birth defect attorneys labor. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during the birth process and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. 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 the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital expenses physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the root of the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water, and some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production 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 have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.