Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide On Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy, which occurs when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able help parents determine the root cause of an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and many more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit for families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations exposing pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of 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 use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are used in a variety of locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children 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 believes the birth defect in their child could be the result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects can also be related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects as a result of unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.