A Brief History Of The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

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. Therapy costs, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing claim for compensation for the expenses of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect law firms defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medications. Many common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially true in the first three months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked with an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medication. 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 the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the root of the birth defect so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect in their child could be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defect law firms defects of a serious nature when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water, and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of improper 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.