Three Greatest Moments In Birth Defect Litigation History

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 entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held liable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the reason for the child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly inform mothers of the risks associated with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute 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 development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, Birth Defect Lawsuit such as cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect 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 the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes that their child's birth defect may be due to medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects and other health issues. Certain Birth Defect Lawsuit defects are associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from many birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.