20 Fun Facts About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a birth defect lawsuit Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could assist you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health condition may be due to an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This can lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to help parents determine the root cause of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially-trained to identify the cause of birth defects so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. They are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be found in a variety of locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or birth defect Lawsuits taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects as well.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.