12 Companies That Are Leading The Way In Birth Defect Litigation
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Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer
If your child was born with a birth deformity, it can be devastating for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly mount up.
A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.
Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child’s illness could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or during delivery.
A doctor may also be responsible for a birth injury when they fail to diagnose or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.
The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person’s genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb’s Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant’s arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It’s a swelling on the scalp. Both of them can 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 to review your case, and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.
Prescription Drugs
A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the root of a child’s birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defect lawsuits defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.
It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, birth defect lawsuits a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancy.
A birth defect attorney can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This could include hospital, doctor’s or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as aidive devices and treatments.
Chemical Exposure
A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defect, so they can sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they work or at their homes.
Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.
Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.
Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures on the base.
Environmental Exposure
Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.
If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.
For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause a variety of 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 risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.
LK’s experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.