Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition could have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be accountable for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to diagnose or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both of these can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, birth Defect and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, Birth Defect then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defect lawsuit defects of a child may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects and health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.