20 Fun Facts About 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 impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for any damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This could lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy that occurs when the nerves that power and control an infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the root of a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked with an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defect law firms defects include hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety 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 gotten substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are known as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water, and some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.