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 this can cause a huge impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complex, so you should seek legal counsel whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held accountable for any damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, birth defect DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses associated with the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that can cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the cause of the birth defect in order to sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they are at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

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 heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defect law firm defects. These chemicals are called teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (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 well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects too.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from various birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at their workplace or home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.