Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

When you learn that your child is born with a birth defect, what could be an exciting moment can quickly become one of worry and anxiety. Contact a medical malpractice lawyer and a birth defect lawyer as soon a time as is feasible.

You will need to gather bills and receipts, credit card payments, and other evidence of your losses in order to receive the full amount of compensation for your damages. We have represented family members in claims against large electronic companies, producers of agricultural pesticides and commercial growers.

Medical Malpractice

Many birth defects are caused by mistakes in medicine or malpractice that occurred during the pregnancy. Certain of these problems are more severe than others, but all birth defects or injuries can be devastating for the child and their loved ones. A medical malpractice lawyer can help determine if the doctor made an error that caused the defect or injury.

Certain birth defects are capable of being detected through screening tests that doctors perform during pregnancy. When these tests are performed and interpreted correctly, the parents will be aware of the risk of their child developing a birth defect. This information allows them to decide if they want to end the pregnancy or prepare for the birth and treatment of the child. If the doctor does not perform or interpret these tests or fails to inform parents of the results, this may be considered medical malpractice.

Medical treatments for birth defect are typically expensive. They can require procedures, specialists, medications for speech and physical therapy, and assistive devices. The compensation awarded by a lawsuit for wrongful birth can aid in easing the financial burden that is due to these expenses and make it easier for families to get the treatment their child requires. Medical malpractice claims are often complex and time-sensitive. Therefore, it is important to seek out an experienced attorney as soon as you can.

Prescription Drugs

Despite the advancements in medical science and the latest technology, birth injuries and birth defects are possible. Mild or severe birth defects and injuries usually require lifetime medical attention. In certain cases, they can even cause death. A Boston dangerous drug lawyer can assist parents obtain compensation for their child's current and future medical costs, including hospital procedures and doctor's appointments, rehabilitation services, assistive devices, and more.

If a doctor prescribes medication to an expectant mother that increases the likelihood of her child developing a birth defect they may be guilty of medical malpractice. They are required to be aware of the effects of medications on the development of the fetus and to not prescribe drugs that are harmful to the foetus.

Prescription medicines that increase the risk of a birth defect are known as Teratogens. They include anti-seizure medications like Dilantin, Lamictal, Tegretol and Topamax. The FDA has issued a warning against the use of these medicines during pregnancy. These medications may increase the risk for cleft lips, cleft palates and heart, lung and other brain disorders. These medications also pose a chance of miscarriage in women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Parents can sue their doctors, the manufacturers of the drugs as well as the pharmacists who sold 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 caused it. However, many different factors can trigger birth defects, from drug-related side effects to toxic chemical exposure in utero.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 1 out of 33 babies are born with a birth defect. These conditions can be minor or serious or even life-threatening. Most of the time a birth defect occurs as a result of faulty genetics. However, a substantial portion of birth problems are the result exposure to chemicals or environmental factors that takes place during the womb. These chemicals are referred as Teratogens, and they increase the chance of developing structural or functional abnormalities that are not reverseable in offspring.

A lot of people in the United States are exposed to industrial chemicals each day. The list of chemical hazards that may be harmful is long, and includes everything from semiconductor and birth defect technology manufacturing facilities with clean rooms, to pesticides that are used on nurseries and farms as well as plastics, paint, automobiles, and paint manufacturing facilities.

It's not unusual for companies to fail to inform their customers of the potential dangers of these chemicals. The birth defect lawyers at LK can assist families to fight against corporations that place profits before the safety and health of their workers and their children.

Environmental Exposure

Having a child with an anomaly in the birth process can be extremely distressing for parents since it will require medical care throughout the life of their child. Certain birth defects can lead to mental and physical disabilities in the infant for the rest of their lives, depending on the severity.

While certain birth defects are inevitable due to genetics, many others can be caused through exposure to chemicals or environmental factors during pregnancy. These include prescription drugs and toxic chemicals that the mother can ingest or chemical substances that are contaminated groundwater or air.

Birth defect lawsuits aren't only limited to medical malpractice. They can also be brought against individuals or businesses who are accountable for the injuries of the child. For birth defect instance, if a doctor prescribes a medication that can increase the chance of your child's birth defect, they may be held accountable.

The same goes for business owners or individuals who expose employees to hazardous chemicals and other substances. Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to pesticides, fungicides or lead, as well metals and paints may increase the risk of having a child suffering from certain types of birth defects. To tackle this issue there were lawsuits filed against beauty salons as well as metal cleaning facilities as well as semiconductor manufacturing facilities and painting factories. Web-based integrated birth defect surveillance in New York State. Wang, Y., Tao, Z., Steen, P.M., Cross, P.K., Druschel, C.M. and Hwang, S-A. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice. 14(6): E1-E10. 2008.