11 "Faux Pas" That Are Actually OK To Create Using Your Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor are in violation of this standard and result in birth defect or injury, they can be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like 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 is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a no-cost consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might help parents determine the cause for the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to assistive devices, and lawsuits therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect attorney defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit for families of children who have congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their homes.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be used in a variety of settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some are 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 numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from many birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.