15 Up-And-Coming Birth Defect Litigation Bloggers You Need To Watch

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file claim for compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could be liable for a birth injury when they fail in diagnosing or respond adequately to distress of the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and 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 and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come 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 who specializes in birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the cause of birth defect law firm defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to organs to be malformed. These chemicals are found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe 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 factors. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and Firms water. Certain of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause various birth defects and health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful 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.