20 Truths About Birth Defect Litigation: Busted

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. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you claim compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number 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 make-up, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy that occurs when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling 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 analyze your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses associated with the disability or injury, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens when they work or in their 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 called teratogens because they affect the healthy development of the fetus through producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth defect Law Firms (http://mdfarm.hubweb.net/bbs/board.php?bo_table=free&wr_id=615211) injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or birth defect law Firms absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water, and some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defect lawyers defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase the risk of birth defects as well.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from various birth defects as a result of an unintentional exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.