The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can be devastating for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you file for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held accountable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. Injuries can include ailments like Erb's palsy that occurs when the nerves which energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a no-cost consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defect law firm defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially true in the first three months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor birth defect attorneys is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not properly warning mothers of the risks associated with their products. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect attorneys defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect in their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse 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. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal, for example, can cause birth defects and birth defect attorneys other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are utilized in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.