This Is The Intermediate Guide Towards Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a birth defect attorney Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an action to collect compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause birth defect or injury the doctor could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or don't respond appropriately. This could lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

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 the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

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 companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defect lawsuit defects. They are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes their child's birth defect may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects as well.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.