5 Laws To Help The Birth Defect Litigation Industry

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced 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 pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses associated with the disability or injury and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the reason for the birth defect, so they can sue companies which expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an 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 names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as 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.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.