The Three Greatest Moments In Birth Defect Litigation History

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can be devastating for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or southern pines birth defect lawsuit defect the doctor could be held accountable for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's health condition may have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to a range of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injuries can include conditions like Erb's Palsy which is caused when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to review your case, and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the root of the birth injury of a child. While many issaquah birth defect lawyer defects are due to the genetics of a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. Many common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs including certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their products. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses that result from the disability or injury and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies exposing pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth deformities. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they influence the healthy development of a embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

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 exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause perris birth defect lawsuit defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, perris birth defect lawsuit such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase the chance of having birth defects.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children who suffered from various birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at their workplace or home. These lawsuits typically involve sophisticated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.