Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide The Steps To Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could assist you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard 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 defects lawsuits can determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of a birth injury when they fail to diagnose or respond adequately to fetal distress. This could lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as 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 by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Injuries can result from conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that power and control an infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents in determining the root of an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to be aware of the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who 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 companies which expose mothers to teratogens while they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens because they affect the development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including semiconductor defect manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to 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 pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects too.

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 unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and defect expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.