How To Get Better Results From Your Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or Birth Defect Lawsuits injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for a birth injury when they fail in diagnosing or appropriately respond to fetal distress. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - swelling of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the root of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and Birth Defect Lawsuits other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. Many common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the injury or disability, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus through creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be present in a variety settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause numerous birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve sophisticated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.