Why Nobody Cares About 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. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's health condition may have been caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of them can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, birth defect attorney resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the cause for the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. A variety of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs such as certain antibiotics and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for birth defect attorney families whose children were born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.