10 Things We Hate About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity this can have a devastating effect on your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal counsel as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and cause birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or fail to respond appropriately. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can result from conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves which energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course for you and birth defects your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the cause for an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur because of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to a higher chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital expenses medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to 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 resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

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

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects because 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 a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect lawyers defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.