12 Companies Leading The Way In Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects can help you file for compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause birth defects or injuries, they can be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine if your child's illness could have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to diagnose or properly respond to distress in the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) 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 and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injuries can include conditions like Erb's Palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control an infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these could result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind the birth defect law firm injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medication. Certain common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to be aware of the risks when prescribing medications for birth Defects women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This can include doctor's, hospital or birth defects pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

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 companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are found in various 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 and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water, and some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause a variety of birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.