10 Fundamentals To Know Birth Defect Litigation You Didn't Learn At School

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held accountable for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a free consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defect attorney defects are caused by the genetics of a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen because of medications. Many common 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 popular. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses that result from the disability or injury, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect attorneys defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they are at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy foetus by causing chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain 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, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water, and some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

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

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.