10 Things We All Love About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could assist you file for compensation to cover the costs of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and cause an injury or birth defect, they can be held responsible for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or birth. Injuries can include conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

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

A doctor's job is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could file a lawsuit on behalf of 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 determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens because they affect the development of a healthy foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are found in various settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in 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 these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water Some of them can be harmful when 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 various birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, birth defect attorneys benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are known to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects caused by unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.