Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If you discover that your child was born with a birth defect, what could have been a thrilling time can quickly become one of stress and uncertainty. It is important to contact a medical malpractice or birth defect lawyer immediately.

You'll need to gather bills and receipts, credit card payments, and other evidence of your losses in order to be able to claim full compensation for your losses. We have successfully represented family members in lawsuits against large electronics firms, agricultural pesticide producers and commercial growers.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice or errors that occurred during pregnancy can be the cause of many birth defects. Certain of these problems are more serious than others, but any birth defect or injury can be devastating for the child and their family members. A medical malpractice lawyer can determine if the doctor committed an error that led to the defect or injury.

Doctors can identify birth defects through screening tests during pregnancy. When these tests are performed and correctly, parents can be informed of the risk that their child could have a birth defect. This information may permit them to terminate the pregnancy, or at least prepare for the birth of the child and treatment. If the doctor fails to take or interpret the results of these tests, or if they fail to notify the parents of the results, this can be considered medical malpractice.

Treatments for Birth Defect Lawsuit defects can be costly. They can involve surgeries, specialists, medication, physical and speech therapy, and assistive devices. The compensation an untimely birth lawsuit can assist in easing the financial burden due to these expenses which will allow families to access the care their child requires. Medical malpractice claims are highly complicated and time-sensitive, which is why it's important to hire a reputable attorney as soon as you can.

Prescription Drugs

Although the advancement of technology and developments in the medical field have greatly reduced the risk of birth defects and injuries but they are still a possibility. Birth injuries and defects can be mild or severe and often require life-long medical care. In some cases, they could even cause death. A Boston dangerous drug lawyer can assist parents obtain compensation for their child's current and future medical expenses, such as procedures in the hospital as well as doctor's visits, rehabilitation services, assistive devices and more.

A physician could be committing medical malpractice if they recommend a medication to a pregnant woman that increases the likelihood of her child having a birth defect. They are required to be aware of the effects of medications on fetal development and not prescribe drugs that could be harmful to the embryo.

Teratogens are prescription medicines that increase the risk of having a birth defect. These include anti-seizure medications like Dilantin and Tegretol. The FDA has advised against taking these medications during pregnancy. These medications can increase the risk of developing Cleft palates, cleft lips and Birth defect Lawsuit lung, heart and other brain disorders. These medications also pose a chance of miscarriage in women who are pregnant or nursing. Parents can sue their doctors, the manufacturers of the drugs and the pharmacists who dispensed them for failing to warn about the risks.

Toxic Chemicals

Parents often wonder what caused their child to be born with a birth deformity. Birth defects can be caused by a variety of factors, including adverse effects from medications as well as toxic chemical exposure during pregnancy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 33 babies are born with a birth defect. These birth defects can be serious or minor and can be life-threatening. Most of the time birth defects are an unfortunate genetic anomaly that occurs without fault of the mother. However, a substantial portion of birth problems are the result of exposure to chemicals or environmental elements that occurs during the womb. These are known as Teratogens, and they increase the chance of developing functional or structural defects that are not reverseable in offspring.

Many people in the United States are exposed to industrial chemicals on a daily basis. From semiconductor factories and technology with clean rooms, to pesticides in nurseries and farms and even automobile, plastics and paint manufacturing facilities, the list of potentially harmful chemicals is long.

It's not common for companies to fail to warn their customers about the potential dangers of these chemicals. The birth defect attorneys at LK can assist families in fighting back against large corporations that put profits before the health and safety of their employees and their children.

Environmental Exposure

Parents may be very upset by a child's birth defect as they have to provide medical assistance throughout the life of their child. Some birth defects can result in mental and physical disabilities in the infant, depending on the severity.

Certain birth defects cannot be prevented due to genetics. However exposure to chemicals or environmental factors can cause many others. This includes prescription drugs, toxic chemicals that the mother can ingest or chemical substances that are contaminated air or groundwater.

Apart from medical malpractice, birth defect lawsuits may be filed against businesses or individuals who are responsible for the injuries suffered by the child. For instance, if a physician prescribes a medicine that increases the likelihood of your child's birth defect and they are found to be responsible.

The same goes for companies or individuals who expose workers to dangerous chemicals and other substances. Many studies have shown that exposure to pesticides, fungicides in combination with lead, metals, and paints could increase the chances of having a child with certain birth defects. In this regard, lawsuits have been filed against beauty salons, metal cleaning operations, semiconductor manufacturing facilities as well as paint factories because of their role in the development of serious birth defects in children. Web-based integrated birth defect surveillance 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.