20 Trailblazers Setting The Standard In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help you claim compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these conditions 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 provide a no-cost consultation to examine 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 identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and other factors that occur during the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. Certain commonly used medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be used 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 or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes their child's birth defect may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water and some can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defect lawsuit defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from various birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and firm expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.