What's The Most Common Birth Defect Litigation Debate Isn't As Black And White As You May Think

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could help you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. Doctors can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This can result in a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur due to medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are used in many different settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of 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 are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water Some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.