Why We Why We Birth Defect Litigation (And You Should Too!)

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it could cause a lot of grief for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an action to collect reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition may have been caused by an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be accountable for an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the root of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to an increase in risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the disability or injury in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defect attorney defects, such as cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defect of their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.