Birth Defect Litigation Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville birth defect law firms defect lawyer could assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should seek legal counsel immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held accountable for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's health condition may have been caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize or adequately respond to distress in 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 difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, birth defect attorneys injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy which is caused when the nerves that energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the disability or injury, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can sue families of children with congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations exposing pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they work or at their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be used in a variety of locations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. 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 exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

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

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defect attorneys defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.