15 Up-And-Coming Birth Defect Litigation Bloggers You Need To Check Out

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 can assist you in filing claim for compensation for the cost of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. Doctors can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for birth injuries if they fail to identify or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This could lead to many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medication. Many commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, Birth defect Lawyer a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are used in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.