7 Simple Tricks To Making A Statement With Your Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it can be devastating for the entire family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defect lawsuits defects could help you file for compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complex, so you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause an injury or birth defect, they can be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

birth defect law firms injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's a swelling on the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit for families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, including processing of semiconductors and birth defect attorney metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defect in their child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, Birth Defect Attorney geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.