Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide To Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause an injury or birth defect, they can be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may be due to an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or 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 difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Injuries can include ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves that power and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may help parents determine the root of a child's birth injury. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers that come with their drugs. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect in order to sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of situations, such as metal cleaning and birth defect semiconductor manufacturing.

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

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

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or birth defect absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals are dangerous to pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause various birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defect lawsuit defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

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