Birth Defect Litigation: A Simple Definition

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it can cause a lot of grief for you and your entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation to cover the costs of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in loma linda birth defect lawsuit defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be due to a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or appropriately respond to distress in the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between hoquiam birth defect lawyer defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or the birth. The causes of injuries include issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been linked with an increased chance of limb deformities, brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf families of children with 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 what caused the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens because they affect the growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be used in a variety of locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these erwin birth defect lawsuit defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family is concerned that their child's birth defect may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water, and some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.