Why It Is Important to Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer
When you learn that your child was born with a birth defect what should have been a thrilling time can quickly become one of stress and uncertainty. It is important to contact an attorney for medical malpractice and
birth defect lawyer as soon as you can.
You will need to gather bills as well as receipts, credit cards payments and other evidence of your losses to get full reimbursement for your losses. We have successfully represented families in court cases against big electronics firms as well as agricultural pesticide producers and commercial growers.
Medical Malpractice
Many birth defects are caused by medical errors or malpractice that occurred during pregnancy. Certain of these problems are more severe than others however, they can all be devastating to the child and loved ones. A medical malpractice lawyer can determine if the doctor's error that led to the defect or injury.
Certain birth defects can be detectable through screening tests that doctors perform during pregnancy. When these tests are performed and interpret them correctly, parents can be informed of the possibility that their child will have an abnormal birth. This information can help them decide whether to terminate 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 could be considered medical malpractice.
Treatments for birth defects are usually expensive. They may require surgery, specialists, medications as well as speech and physical therapy, as well as assistive devices. A lawsuit based on wrongful birth can assist in easing the cost of these expenses. This will allow families to provide the support their child requires. Medical malpractice claims can be complex and time-sensitive. Therefore, it is important to seek out an experienced attorney early enough.
Prescription Drugs
Despite recent advances in medicine and the latest technology, birth problems and injuries are possible. Birth defects that are severe or mild and injuries are often lifelong medical attention. In some cases, they could even cause death. A Boston dangerous drug lawyer can assist parents recover compensation for their child's present and future medical expenses, including hospital procedures as well as doctor's visits, rehabilitation services, assistive devices, and many more.
If a doctor prescribes a medication to an expectant mother that increases the chances of her child's having a birth defect, they may be guilty of medical malpractice. They must know which medications can negatively impact the growth of a fetus, and not prescribe drugs harmful to the embryo.
Prescription drugs that increase the risk of having a birth defect are referred to as Teratogens. These include anti-seizure medications like Dilantin and Tegretol. The FDA has warned against using these medications during pregnancy. These medications may increase the risk of having cleft lips, cleft palates and lung, heart and other brain disorders. These drugs also carry a risk of miscarriage for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Parents may sue doctors, drug makers and pharmacists for failing to inform them of the risks.
Toxic Chemicals
Parents often wonder the reason their child was born with a birth deformity. Birth defects can be caused by a range of causes, including the effects of medications and exposure to toxic chemicals during pregnancy.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 out of 33 babies are born with a birth deformity. These issues could be minor or serious and can be life-threatening. A lot of the time, a birth defect is an unfortunate genetic anomaly that happens due to no fault of the mother. However, a substantial portion of birth defects are caused by exposure to chemicals or environmental factors that takes place in the womb. These chemicals are referred as teratogens. They increase the risk of functional or structural problems that cannot be reversed in offspring.
A lot of Americans are exposed to industrial chemicals every day. From semiconductor and technology factories with clean rooms, to pesticides that are used on nurseries and farms, and automobile, plastics and paint manufacturing facilities the list of harmful chemicals is long.
Most of the time, companies that make these chemicals don't properly test them for potential human-related effects, and it's not uncommon for them to fail to include adequate warnings on their products or services. The birth defect lawyers at LK can help families fight against big corporations that place profits over the safety and health of their workers and children.
Environmental Exposure
A child born with an anomaly in the birth process can be extremely stressful for parents since they will require medical attention throughout the child's life. Some birth defects can lead to mental and physical disabilities in the baby for life, depending on the degree of the defect.
Some birth defects can't be avoided due to genetics. However, environmental or chemical exposure can cause a myriad of other. These can include prescription drugs or toxic chemicals that may be ingested by the mother or from chemicals that have contaminated the air or groundwater in a community.
Birth defect lawsuits are not limited to medical malpractice. They can also be filed against individuals or businesses that are responsible for the injuries of the child. If a doctor prescribes a medication that increases the chance of having a
birth defect then they could be held responsible.
The same is true for companies or individuals who expose workers to dangerous chemicals and other substances. Numerous studies have revealed exposure to pesticides, fungicides as well as paints, metals, and lead can increase the chance of children developing certain types of birth defect. In order to address this issue lawsuits were filed against beauty salons and cleaning operations, as well 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.
