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

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect law firms defect lawsuits can determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or respond adequately to distress in the fetus. This can result in a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or birth. These injuries can be caused by ailments like Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that power and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital fees physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth deformities. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and birth defect lawyers other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women ingest or absorb pollutants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.