It s The Birth Defect Litigation Case Study You ll Never Forget

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can cause a huge impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in birth defect or injury the doctor could be held accountable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's condition may be the result of a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This could lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur because of medications. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks that come with their medication. For example, 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 pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical costs, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of businesses exposing pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be present in a variety settings, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. 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 chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth defect lawsuit injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb pollutants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

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

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a range of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.