Birth Defect Litigation: A Simple Definition

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can cause a huge impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you file for compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - a swelling on the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to review your case, and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

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 defect attorney defects are the result of the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur due to medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers about the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects so they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers (reviews over at Atw) have gotten 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 are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water, and some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers that are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who 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 usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.