20 Trailblazers Setting The Standard In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in an injury or vimeo birth defect or injury, they could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

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

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. These injuries can be caused by conditions like Erb's Palsy that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not properly warning mothers about the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical costs, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause quitman birth defect lawyer defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out what caused the birth defect in order to sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they are working or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, vimeo metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause culpeper birth defect lawsuit defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child may result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are known as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in 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 caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.