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

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 family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could help you file for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or birth defect injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can lead to a range of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been linked to an increase in risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women and medications that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the growth of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in many different settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.