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 have a devastating effect on the entire family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition may have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for families of children with congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that can cause birth deformities. They are trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, birth Defect lawsuits fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens because they affect the development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in a variety of situations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth 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 believes that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects, as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), 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 as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects as a result of unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.