Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide For 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 impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you file for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and result in a birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both of them can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorneys defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother, Birth Defect they can also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. Zofran, birth defect which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses associated with the disability or injury and also loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit for families of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the root of the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or at their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create malformed organs. These chemicals are present in a variety locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water Some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require sophisticated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.