How Birth Defect Litigation Changed Over Time Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their infants. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's condition may have been caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This could lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy 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 by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. Injuries can result from issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves that energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a no-cost 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 a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet the requirements of this standard of care, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the root of the birth defect, so they can sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families that had children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water, and some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health issues. 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 chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.