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

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. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause an injury or birth defect, they can be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen as a result of medication. A number of commonly used medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the injury or disability, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs physician's fees, Birth Defect pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the root of the birth defect, so they can sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings, including 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 found to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families that had children born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause numerous birth defects and health problems. Certain birth defects are associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defect attorney defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.