20 Resources To Help You Become More Effective At Birth Defect Litigation

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. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and cause birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held liable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's illness could have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be accountable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to distress in the fetus. This could lead to many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to analyze your case and 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 root cause of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen because of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This can include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be used in a variety of situations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured 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

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in 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 are dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.