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

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and cause birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be accountable for birth injuries if they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to distress in the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defect law firms defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the cause for the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major birth defect defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the disability or injury, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine what caused the birth defect in order to sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus by producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for birth defect families who have children who were born with severe defects resulting from the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family is concerned that the birth defect [updated blog post] of their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on the name of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.