20 Trailblazers Setting The Standard In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should seek legal counsel as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held accountable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or birth. These injuries can be caused by conditions like Erb's Palsy that occurs when the nerves that power and control the infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to help parents determine the root of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially true in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. They are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be the result of 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.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated can cause a variety of birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defect lawsuit defects. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.