The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can be devastating for you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file claim for reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This can cause many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome, which occurs when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the root cause of a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur because of medications. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers that come with their medicines. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and birth Defect attorney quality of living. This can include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are among the 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 lead to malformed organs. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial 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 are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects that the birth defect in their child could be the result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents like 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 a woman's risk of birth defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.