30 Inspirational Quotes About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can cause a lot of grief for the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file a claim to recover reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This can result in a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The causes of injuries include issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves that power and control the infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a free consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the root cause of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen because of medications. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for Birth Defect Lawsuits failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their medicines. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue families of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations which expose pregnant women and drugs that can cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the cause of the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens because they affect the growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause malformed organs. These chemicals are found in a variety of locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with serious 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 conditions. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defect lawsuits defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from many birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.