12 Companies Leading The Way In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's illness could be the result of an error made by a doctor during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or appropriately respond to fetal distress. This can cause numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a no-cost consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for birth Defect lawsuit women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect law firms 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 to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different situations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth Defect lawsuit defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had children born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defect attorneys defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at their workplace or home. These lawsuits often involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.