5 Killer Quora Answers On Birth Defect Attorneys
Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer
Finding out that your child has a birth defect can turn what should have been an enjoyable experience into an uneasy and uncertain experience. Contact a medical malpractice lawyer and birth defect lawyer as soon a time as is feasible.
To receive the full amount you deserve, you'll be required to keep track of all your bills, receipts and credit card transactions. We have successfully represented families in court cases against big electronics firms and agricultural pesticide companies as well as commercial growers.
Medical Malpractice
Many birth defects are caused by medical errors or negligence that occurred during pregnancy. Some of these issues are more severe than others, however all birth injuries or defects can be devastating for the baby and their loved ones. A medical malpractice lawyer can determine if the doctor made an error that led to the defect or injury.
Certain birth defects can be capable of being detected through screening tests performed by doctors during pregnancy. If these tests are done and interpreted correctly, the parents can be informed of the chance of their child developing birth defect. This information may enable them to decide to terminate the pregnancy, or at the very least prepare for the child's birth and treatment. Medical malpractice can be committed when a doctor fails to interpret or carry out these tests, or failing to inform the parents of the results.
Medical treatments for birth defects are often expensive. These treatments include procedures, specialists, medications physical and speech therapies and assistive equipment. The money awarded in a wrongful birth lawsuit can help to ease the financial burden caused by these expenses and make it easier for families to receive the treatment their child requires. Medical malpractice claims can be complicated and time-sensitive. Therefore, it's important to get a skilled attorney early enough.
Prescription Drugs
Although modern technology and recent developments in the medical field have drastically reduced the chance of birth injuries and defects however, they're still very likely. Birth injuries and defects may be minor or severe, and they often require life-long medical care. In some instances they may even cause death. A Boston dangerous drug lawyer can assist parents obtain compensation for their child's present and future medical expenses, which include procedures in the hospital or doctor's office rehabilitation services, assistive devices, and more.
If a doctor prescribes medication to an expecting mother that increases the likelihood of her child's having a birth defect, they may be guilty of medical malpractice. They have a duty to be aware of the medications that could negatively impact the growth of a fetus, and not recommend harmful substances to the fetus.
Prescription medications that increase the risk of a birth defect are referred to as Teratogens. These include anti-seizure medication such as Dilantin and Tegretol. The FDA has warned against using these medications during pregnancy. They can increase the risk of cleft lips and cleft palates and the brain, lung and heart abnormalities. These medications can also cause miscarriage for women who are pregnant or nursing. Parents can sue doctors, manufacturers of the drugs and the pharmacists who sold them for not warning them about their risks.
Toxic Chemicals
Parents often wonder what caused their child to be born with a birth defect. Birth defects can be caused by a range of factors, such as medication side effects and exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 out of 33 babies are born with a birth deformity. These issues may be mild or severe and can be life-threatening. Most of the time a birth defect is a result of genetic defects. However, a large percentage of birth problems are the result environmental or chemical exposure which occurs in the womb. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens and increase the likelihood of irreversible functional or structural problems in offspring.
There is a wide range of industrial chemicals that have been associated with birth defects and other reproductive harms, and many people around the country are exposed them on a daily basis. From semiconductor factories and technology with clean rooms, to pesticides in nurseries and farms, and automobile, plastics and paint manufacturing plants The list of harmful chemicals is lengthy.
Most times, companies that manufacture these chemicals fail to properly test them for their potential human-related effects, and it's not unusual to see them fail to include adequate warnings on their products or services. Our birth defect lawyers can assist families to fight large corporations who put profits ahead of the health and safety of their employees and children.
Environmental Exposure
Having a child with a birth defect is extremely difficult for parents, as it requires medical attention throughout the lifetime of their infant. Based on the severity of the issue, some birth defects can lead to lifelong physical and mental disabilities for the infant.
Some birth defects can't be cured due to genetics. However, environmental or chemical exposure can cause a myriad of other. These could include prescription medications or toxic chemicals which could be ingested by mothers or from chemical substances that have contaminated the air or groundwater in a community.
Birth defect lawsuits aren't limited to medical malpractice. They can also be brought against businesses or individuals who are responsible for the injury of the child. If a doctor prescribes medication that increases your child's likelihood of developing a birth defect they could be held accountable.
This is also the case for those who expose their employees to harmful chemicals and substances. Many studies have shown that exposure to pesticides, fungicides, lead, metals and paints could increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. In this regard, lawsuits have been filed against beauty salons, metal cleaning operations, semiconductor manufacturing facilities as well as paint factories because of their role in the development of serious birth defects in children. Development of a Web-based Integrated Birth Defects Surveillance System in New York State. Wang, Y., Tao, Z., Steen, P.M., Cross, P.K., Druschel, C.M. Hwang, S.-A. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 14(6): E1-E10. 2008.