Birth Defect Litigation Explained In Fewer Than 140 Characters

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you file for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) 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. These injuries can be caused by conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth and the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your situation and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect law firm defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the disability or injury, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue parents of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to their impact on the healthy growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect attorneys defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or birth defect Attorneys in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.