10 Fundamentals About Birth Defect Litigation You Didn t Learn In School

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an action to collect compensation for the expenses of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor could be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. The causes of injuries include ailments like Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the root of a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked with an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses that result from the disability or injury and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some 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 to be malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect law firms defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who had children born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and some can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.