Birth Defect Litigation Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects can help you claim compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to help parents determine the root of a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur as a result of medications. A number of common medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital expenses medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the root of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety situations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and birth defect law firms cleaning of metals.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defect law firms defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain Birth Defect law firms defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water, and 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 is contaminated can cause various birth defects and health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, Birth defect Law firms and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits often involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.