15 Up-And-Coming Birth Defect Litigation Bloggers You Need To See

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect attorney defect lawyer can assist you in filing an appeal to receive compensation for the cost of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor can be held accountable for any damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It's swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, Birth Defect Attorneys DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the dangers of 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 pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the cause of birth defects, so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety situations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.