Be On The Lookout For: How Birth Defect Litigation Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing an action to collect compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and cause a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held accountable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defect law firms defects can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be liable for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

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

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This could include hospital fees medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations exposing pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained 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

Certain birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. 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 and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water, and some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated can cause a variety of birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects are also associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, Birth Defect Attorneys are known to increase a woman's risk of birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits often involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.