Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If you discover that your child is born with a birth defect, what should be an exciting moment can quickly turn into a time filled with anxiety and uncertainty. Contact an attorney for medical malpractice and a birth defect lawyer as soon as you can.

To receive the full compensation you deserve, you will be required to keep track of all your receipts, bills and credit card payment. We have successfully represented families in cases against large electronics companies as well as agricultural pesticide producers and commercial growers.

Medical Malpractice

Many birth defects are the result of mistakes in medicine or malpractice that occurred during the pregnancy. Certain of these problems are more grave than others, but all birth defects or injuries can be devastating for the child and the family members who love them. A medical malpractice lawyer can assist in determining if the doctor committed an error that caused the defect or injury.

Some birth defects are detectable through screening tests that doctors perform during pregnancy. These tests can be carried out and interpret correctly to inform parents of the possibility that their child might have a birth deformity. This information may let them decide to terminate the pregnancy, or at a minimum, prepare for the child's birth and treatment. If the doctor is unable to conduct or interpret these tests, or if they fail to notify the parents of the results, it could be deemed medical malpractice.

Medical treatments for birth defects are typically expensive. The treatments may include surgeries, specialists, medication as well as speech and physical therapies, and assistive equipment. A lawsuit based on wrongful birth can assist in easing the burden of these costs. This will allow families to provide the medical care their child needs. Medical malpractice lawsuits are extremely complex and time-sensitive, hence it is essential to choose an experienced attorney as soon as you can.

Prescription Drugs

Despite recent medical advances and the advancement of technology, birth defects and injuries are still possible. Birth injuries and birth defects may be minor or severe and, in most cases, require ongoing medical attention. In some cases, they could even lead to death. A Boston lawyer who is knowledgeable about dangerous drugs can assist parents in obtaining compensation to cover medical expenses in the present and future, including hospitalizations and doctor's appointments, rehabilitation services, assistive equipment and more.

A physician could be committing medical malpractice if they recommend a medication to a woman who is pregnant that increases her child's risk of developing a birth deformity. They have a duty to know which medications could adversely affect the growth of a fetus and to avoid prescribing harmful medications to the baby's fetus.

Prescription medications that increase the risk of a birth defect are referred to as teratogens. These include anti-seizure medicines such as Dilantin and Tegretol. The FDA has issued warnings against the use of these drugs during pregnancy. They may increase the risk of cleft lips and cleft palates, as well as brain, lung and heart abnormalities. They also increase the chance of miscarriage in women who are breastfeeding or pregnant. Parents can sue their doctors, the manufacturers of the medications and the pharmacists who dispensed them for failing to warn them about their risks.

Toxic Chemicals

When a child is born with a birth defect, parents often wonder about what was the cause. The truth is that there are a variety of factors that can cause birth defect law firms defects, ranging from drug-related side effects to toxic chemical exposure in utero.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth deformity. These birth defects can be serious or minor and, in some cases, life-threatening. Most of the time, a birth defect is a result of faulty genetics. However, a large percentage of birth problems are the result of environmental or chemical exposure that happens during the womb. These chemicals are called Teratogens, and they increase the risk of functional or structural abnormalities which are not reversible in offspring.

There is a wide range of industrial chemicals that have been linked to birth defects as well as other reproductive harms and a lot of people across the country are exposed them each day. From semiconductor factories and technology with clean rooms to pesticides on farms and nurseries and plastics, automobiles and paint manufacturing plants, the list of potentially harmful chemicals is a long one.

A lot of the time, companies that manufacture these chemicals don't properly test them for possible effects on humans and it's not uncommon for them to fail to include adequate warnings on their products or services. LK's birth defect attorneys can help families fight against big corporations that put profits over the safety and health of their employees and children.

Environmental Exposure

The experience of having a child born with an anomaly in the birth process can be extremely stressful for parents as it requires medical attention throughout the child's life. Certain birth defects can lead to mental and physical disabilities for the baby for life depending on the severity.

Some birth defects cannot be avoided due to genetics. However, environmental or chemical exposure can cause many others. These include prescription medications as well as toxic chemicals that the mother might ingest, or chemical substances that have been found to be contaminated in air or groundwater.

Aside from medical malpractice, birth defect lawsuits can also be brought against businesses or individuals who are responsible for the injuries suffered by the child. If a physician prescribes a medication that increases your child's risk of developing a birth defect, they could be held responsible.

It's also true for businesses or individuals who expose their employees to harmful chemicals and substances. Numerous studies have proven that exposure to fungicides, pesticides and lead, as well as metals and paints could increase the chances of having a child born with certain birth defects. In order to tackle this issue, lawsuits were filed against beauty salons and metal cleaning facilities as well as semiconductor manufacturing facilities and painting factories. The development of a Web-based, integrated Birth Defects Surveillance system in New York State. Wang, Y., Tao, Z., Steen, P.M., Cross, P.K., Druschel, C.M. Hwang, S.-A. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 14(6): E1-E10. 2008.