10 Facts About Birth Defect Litigation That Will Instantly Bring You To A Happy Mood

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity this can have a devastating effect on your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and cause birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defect law firm defects will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of a birth injury when they fail in diagnosing or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that power and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defect law firms defects can offer a free consultation to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the root of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and more. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital fees medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of locations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children 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 a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.