So You ve Bought Birth Defect Attorneys ... Now What

Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

Being aware that your child has a birth defect could turn what should have been an exciting experience to an uneasy and uncertain experience. It is important to contact a medical malpractice and birth defect lawyer right away.

You'll need to collect bills receipts, receipts, credit card payments and other evidence of your losses in order to be able to claim full compensation for your damages. We have successfully represented families in court cases against major electronics companies, agricultural pesticide makers and commercial growers.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice or errors that occur during pregnancy are responsible for numerous birth defects. Some of these problems are more serious than others, but they can all be devastating for the child as well as loved ones. A medical malpractice attorney will help determine if the doctor made an error which led to the defect or injury.

Doctors can identify some birth defects through screening tests during pregnancy. When these tests are performed and interpreted correctly, the parents will be aware of the risk that their child may have birth defect. This information can help them decide if they wish to terminate the pregnancy or prepare for the birth and treatment of the child. Medical malpractice can be committed when a doctor fails to interpret or perform these tests, or in the event that he or she fails to inform parents of the results.

Medical treatments for birth defect can be costly. These treatments include procedures, specialists, medications as well as speech and physical therapies as well as assistive equipment. The compensation awarded by a wrongful birth lawsuit could help to ease the financial burden caused by these expenses and make it easier for families to receive the treatment their child needs. Medical malpractice claims are often complex and time-sensitive. Therefore, it is important to get a skilled attorney immediately.

Prescription Drugs

Despite the advances in medical science and modern technology, birth injuries and defects are possible. Birth defects that are serious or moderate and injuries typically require a lifetime of medical care. In some cases, they could even lead to death. A Boston lawyer for dangerous drugs can assist parents in obtaining compensation to cover their child's medical expenses now and in the future, including hospitalizations, doctor's appointments rehabilitation services, assistive equipment and more.

When a physician prescribes a medication to a pregnant mother that increases the likelihood of her child developing a birth defect, they may be guilty of medical malpractice. They must know what medications can affect the development of the fetus and to not prescribe drugs harmful to the embryo.

Teratogens are prescription medications which increase the likelihood of having a birth defect. They include anti-seizure medication like Dilantin, Lamictal, Tegretol and Topamax. The FDA has warned against the use of these drugs during pregnancy. They may increase the risk of cleft lips and cleft palates, as well as brain, lung and heart abnormalities. These drugs can also lead to miscarriage for women who are pregnant, or nursing. Parents can sue the doctors, the producers of the drugs, and the pharmacists who sold the medications for failing to warn them of the risks.

Toxic Chemicals

When a baby is born with a birth defect parents often wonder about what caused it. In reality, there are a variety of factors that can cause the birth defect, ranging from the effects of medications to exposure to toxic chemicals in the uterus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 33 babies is born with a birth defect. These birth defects can be minor or serious and can be life-threatening. A lot of the time birth defects are an unfortunate genetic defect that occurs through no fault of the mother. Birth defects can be caused by environmental or chemical exposure during the womb. These chemicals are called teratogens. They increase the risk of functional or structural problems which are not reversible in offspring.

There are a huge variety of industrial chemicals that have been linked to birth defect law firms defects as well as other reproductive harms and many people around the country are exposed to them each day. From semiconductor factories and technology with clean rooms, to pesticides used in nurseries and farms and even automobile, plastics and paint manufacturing facilities, the list of potentially harmful chemicals is long.

It's not typical for companies not to warn their customers about the dangers that could be posed by these chemicals. The birth defect lawyers at LK can assist families in fighting big corporations that put profits before the safety and health of their employees and children.

Environmental Exposure

The experience of having a child born with an anomaly in the birth process can be incredibly distressing for birth defect lawyers parents since it requires medical attention throughout their infant's lifetime. Certain birth defects can lead to physical and mental disabilities in the child for life depending on the severity.

While certain birth defects are inevitable due to genetics, others can be triggered through exposure to chemicals or environmental factors during pregnancy. These could include prescription medications or toxic chemicals which could be ingested by mothers or from chemicals that have caused contamination of the groundwater or air in a community.

Apart from medical malpractice, birth defect lawsuits are filed against businesses or individuals who are responsible for the injury suffered by the child. For instance, if a physician prescribes a drug which increases the risk of the birth defect of your child or birth defect, they could be found to be responsible.

It's also the case for businesses or individuals who expose their workers to harmful chemicals and substances. Numerous studies have revealed that exposures to pesticides or fungicides as well as paints, metals and lead may increase the chance of the child developing certain kinds of birth defects. This is why lawsuits have been filed against beauty salons as well as metal cleaning operations semiconductor manufacturing facilities, and birth defect lawyers paint factories for their role in the development of serious birth defects in children. Web-based Integrated Birth Defects Surveillance in New York State. Wang, Y., Tao, Z., Steen, P.M., Cross, P.K., Druschel, C.M. and Hwang, S-A. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 14(6): E1-E10. 2008.