It's True That The Most Common Birth Defect Litigation Debate Doesn't Have To Be As Black And White As You Might Think

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing claim for reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail to recognize or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. 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 determine the reason for the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defect law firms defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as Teratogens because they affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are used in various settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

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

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.