Guide To Birth Defect Litigation: The Intermediate Guide The Steps To Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect law firm defect it could be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can help determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur due to medications. A variety of commonly used medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers that come with their medicines. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be found in a variety of situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. 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 in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child may result from medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from their environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects and health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase the risk of developing birth defects as well.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.