10 Factors To Know Concerning Birth Defect Litigation You Didn t Learn In School

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it can be devastating for you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for reimbursement for the costs of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in birth defect or injury the doctor could be held responsible for damages sustained 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 have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of birth injuries if they fail to identify or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injuries can include conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents in determining the root of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defect attorneys defects are the result of genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. Certain common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. For example, 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 pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies exposing pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and birth defect Attorneys other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they influence the healthy development of a embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in various settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them 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, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had children born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.