Birth Defect Litigation Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you seek reimbursement for the expenses of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defect attorney defects could be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be accountable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to diagnose or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (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 make-up however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for Birth Defects pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at 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 as they interfere with the development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.