Birth Defect Litigation: A Simple Definition

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity this can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an action to collect reimbursement for the costs of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for Birth Defect attorneys birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's health condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury, or defect. Many birth defects are caused by birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers that come with their drugs. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the disability or injury, and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for the birth defect so that they can sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their homes.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits 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 significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water, and cadmium from contaminated coal can cause numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defect law firms defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors as well as 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 due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.