12 Stats About Birth Defect Litigation To Make You Take A Look At Other People

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity, it can cause a lot of grief for your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file a claim to recover reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and cause birth defects or injuries, they can be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's illness could be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and don't respond appropriately. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order 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 determine the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. Certain commonly used medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs as well as 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 families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the Birth Defect Lawsuit defect in order to bring a lawsuit against the companies who expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, birth defect Lawsuit metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by a 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 or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.