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 can be devastating for you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's illness could have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may be liable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This could lead to a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and birth defects determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are due to genetics and other factors that occur during the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur due to medications. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, Birth defects was shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy growth of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be used in a variety of situations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various 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 are also known to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.