7 Simple Tips To Totally Refreshing Your Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you seek compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor can be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits 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 also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate course 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. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen as a result of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines including certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medicines for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury as well as loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens because they affect the healthy development of the fetus making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be present in a variety settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or 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 pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.