A Intermediate Guide Towards Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is crucial 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. A doctor can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine whether your child's condition may be due to a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be accountable for a birth injury when they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Injuries can result from ailments like Erb's palsy, which occurs when the nerves that energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during the birth process as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the cause for birth Defect attorney a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their drugs. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit for families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies exposing pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or birth Defect Attorney at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to the fact that they interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are used in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defect lawsuits defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment They could cause serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. 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 experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits often involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.