15 Undeniable Reasons To Love Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could help you claim 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 seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or don't respond appropriately. This could lead to numerous serious issues, 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 a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order 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 cause for a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are caused by the genetics of a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur due to medications. A number of commonly used medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to an increase in chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's duty is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. When doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens because they affect the development of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause malformed organs. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene 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 against various companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause numerous birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (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 panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a wide range of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.