What s The Point Of Nobody Caring About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it could be devastating for the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held accountable for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to diagnose or properly respond to fetal distress. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or birth. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth and the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, Birth defects resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's duty is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of 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 identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are found in diverse settings like semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can 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 who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to make companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe birth 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 factors 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 chemical such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth defect law firms injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water, and some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause numerous birth defects and health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.