Why You Should Focus On Making Improvements Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file claim for compensation for the expenses of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous, so it is important to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and result in birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition may be the result of an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or birth. These injuries can be caused by ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves that power and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and continued treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and Firms quality of living. This can include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defect law firm defects. They are trained to determine the root of the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant 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 a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that 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 lawyer to discuss their case.

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

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

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from various birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.