A Brief History Of The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect law firms defect, it can have a devastating effect on the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects can help you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or Birth Defect Attorney injury, they could be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injuries can result from conditions like Erb's Palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been linked to a higher chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against the companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens because they affect the healthy development a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown 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 these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water and some could 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 numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects.

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