A Trip Back In Time: What People Discussed About Birth Defect Litigation 20 Years Ago

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held accountable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can help determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail detect fetal distress or fail to respond appropriately. This can cause various serious problems, including 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 make-up and injuries are triggered due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or birth. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome, which occurs when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or damaged during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

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, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help family members receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens as they are at work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus through creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and Birth Defect Attorneys paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water, and some of them 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 example, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are also associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.