Pay Attention: Watch Out For How Birth Defect Litigation Is Taking Over And What Can We Do About It

Why You Should Hire a birth defect lawsuits Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it can be devastating for your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor could be held accountable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be accountable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injuries can include conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during the birth defect attorneys process, and caput succedaneum, Birth Defect Lawyers a swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to look over your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the reason for 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, they can also occur due to medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers about the risks associated with their products. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical costs, in addition to aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or Birth defect lawyers drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the root of the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus by producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are used in a variety of environments, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

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 referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health problems. 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 among women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.