What s The Most Common Birth Defect Litigation Debate Doesn t Have To Be As Black Or White As You Think

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file claim for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor can be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can result in various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the root of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen as a result of medication. Many commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain defects and birth Defect attorney craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses that result from the disability or injury in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital expenses physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue parents of children with congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the root of birth defects, so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens because they affect the healthy development of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be found in a variety of locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects too.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from various birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.