The Birth Defect Litigation Case Study You ll Never Forget

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and firms other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's illness could be due to an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or respond adequately to distress of the fetus. This can cause a number of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can result from conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the root cause of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against the 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 include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are used in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant 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 an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family believes the birth defect in their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are known as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a wide range of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.