Ten Things Your Competitors Inform You About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defect law firms defects will help you determine if your child's illness could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

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

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can include issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves which energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can result in 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 no-cost consultation to analyze 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 determine the reason for the child's birth defect lawsuit injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers associated with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or 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 who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for Birth Defect Attorneys exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have won substantial settlements for families that had children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys (try these guys) have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.