The Birth Defect Litigation Case Study You ll Never Forget

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity, it can have a devastating effect on the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help you file for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause birth defect or injury the doctor could be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's illness could have been caused by an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can cause many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to help parents determine the root cause of a child's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, birth Defect lawsuit and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to a higher chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. 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 pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of businesses exposing pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the root of the birth defect so that they can sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defect lawsuit defects among women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects as a result of unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a sophisticated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.