20 Fun Facts About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you claim compensation to cover the costs of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect and/or death, they may be held liable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This can lead to a range of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum - swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and birth Defect Lawyers determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the root of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers associated with their products. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect to sue companies which expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their home.

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

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes that the birth defect in their child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from their environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as 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, which are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of birth defects.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.