A Intermediate Guide In Birth Defect Litigation
Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer If your child is born with a birth deformity this can have a devastating effect on your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly mount up. A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should seek legal counsel immediately. Medical Malpractice Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery. A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy. birth defect lawyer tennessee differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby. Prescription Drugs A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the cause of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis. A doctor's responsibility is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy. An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well aidive devices and treatments. Chemical Exposure A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they work or at their homes. Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are present in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production. Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or 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 to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families that had children born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base. Environmental Exposure Some birth defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes that their child's birth defect may result from medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter. If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant. Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays. Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from various birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.