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

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity this can cause a lot of grief for you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could assist to file a claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition could be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or damaged during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling 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 offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur due to medications. A variety of common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks that come with their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A Birth Defect law firms defect lawyer can assist a family receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and birth defect law firms also loss of income and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the root of the birth defect, so they can bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause malformed organs. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while 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 obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be due to medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase the risk of developing birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.