20 Fun Facts About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can be devastating for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth defect lawsuit.

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

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injuries can result from issues like Erb's syndrome that occurs when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during the birth process and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the disability or injury, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children with congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that can cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for 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 referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in many different settings, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe defects resulting from the toxic chemical exposures on 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 the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or birth defect attorneys in their homes. These lawsuits typically involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts as witnesses, like toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.