A Brief History Of The Evolution Of Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects can help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should seek legal counsel immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause a birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can help determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor birth defect law Firms may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and 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 that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects 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 adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the disability or injury, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for parents of children with congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth Defect law firms defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the healthy development a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be used in a variety of settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect law firm defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, Birth Defect law firms arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause numerous birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents like benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects too.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from various birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits usually involve a sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.