10 Meetups On Birth Defect Litigation You Should Attend

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity, it can cause a lot of grief for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in an injury or birth defect, they can be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition may have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, such as 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 a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injuries can include conditions like Erb's Palsy which is caused when the nerves that energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to examine your case and decide on the best 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 however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. A number of common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify what caused the birth defect, so they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or 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 in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defect lawsuits defects have filed many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from many birth defects due to wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at their workplace or home. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and experts, Birth defect lawsuits such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.