5 Laws That ll Help With The Birth Defect Litigation Industry

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the expenses of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor could be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be due to an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by the genetics of a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to an increase in risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medicines for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for 133.6.219.42 negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. For instance, 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 pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for current and future medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the root of the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or law taken in by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects and health problems. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.