5 Laws That Will Help In The Birth Defect Litigation Industry

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it can be devastating for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

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

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's illness could be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or fail to respond appropriately. This can lead to a range of serious issues, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to look over your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the disability or injury and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect law firms defect lawyer could sue parents of children with congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, birth defect lawsuits including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water Some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of birth defects as well.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from various birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.