Was your child affected by a birth defect?

Many people think birth defects are just a luck of the draw—but in some cases, birth defects were preventable by caregivers, doctors, medical staff, medication and medical device manufacturers, and other people parents depend upon when bringing new life into the world. A good birth defect attorney knows the difference between a natural birth defect that could have happened to any child and one caused by negligence, a drug, or a medical device.

If your child was born with physical or mental issues, you need to contact a birth defect attorney to find out if you have a birth defect claim. Without filing a claim, you will be forced to take care of your child’s mental or physical issues without any help even when it was caused by someone else’s fault. If you find yourself in that situation, your ability to provide for your child might be impacted by the birth defect caused by someone else’s negligence.

What is a birth defect? – Do you need an attorney for a birth defect claim?

A birth defect is an abnormality of function, metabolism, or structure at birth that results in mental of physical issues and can result in death or diminished quality of life. Some children grow out of birth defects and others can be taken care of with minor operations, but some affect the quality of life of the child and their family.

There are over 4,000 different types of birth defects. According to the March of Dimes, 1 in 33 children are born with a birth defect. While some are very rare and others are caused by genetics, some birth defects are caused by the environment, birth procedure, medical devices and medications used, prenatal care, and other factors.

Common birth defects include:

  • Cleft lip
  • Spina bifida
  • Heart defects
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Clubfoot
  • Developmental dysplasia of the hip
  • Congenital hypothyroidism
  • Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
  • Anencephaly
  • Erb’s palsy
  • Brachial plexus injury
  • Hypoxic brain injury

Some birth defects are caused by genetics but others, especially ones related to lack of oxygen or brain function, can be caused during birth by a doctor’s or a hospital’s negligence. Other birth defects may occur because of hazardous drugs prescribed by doctors, workplace exposure to dangerous chemicals, or other environmental factors that can impact the healthy growth of your child. If your child suffered a defect caused by negligence of your caregivers, it is important to contact a birth defect attorney. A birth defect lawsuit may help you better care for your child’s needs.

How Could a Birth Defect Settlement or Lawsuit Help?

As with many lawsuits, a birth defect claim can result in either a settlement outside of court of taking those responsible to court to hold them accountable for their negligence. While birth defect cases and settlement amounts vary greatly, most seek restitution for the following:

  • Medical costs incurred as a result of injury or treatment prior to death
  • Expected earning amount of the child
  • Scarring or disfigurement and costs for operations
  • Long term care
  • Rehabilitation, physical therapy and occupational therapy costs
  • Wheelchair, accessible vehicle, and home modification costs
  • Braces, special therapy devices and orthotic devices costs
  • Specialized education needs costs
  • Survival claim for pain and suffering of the deceased prior to death
  • Funeral and burial costs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help you make your claim. Our birth defect law firm offers free initial consultations at no charge to learn about your case and see if we can help you pursue damages for your child and your family.

If you believe that your child was a victim of a preventable birth defect, contact Emerson Firm, PLLC today to speak with one of our attorneys.

Contact Our Birth Defect Attorneys Today – Our Birth Defect Law Firm

Attorneys at Emerson Firm, PLLC have worked on countless personal injury cases, including large class action lawsuits involving thousands of individuals who were harmed by a company’s wrongdoing. Our birth defect lawyers understand the unique and complex challenges of birth defect cases. It can be hard to prove the doctors and/or hospital were at fault in some cases and working closely with our clients is our first priority when it comes to winning personal injury cases related to birth defects.

Our role as birth defects attorneys is to hold those accountable and help our clients and their families on their path towards taking care of their child or family after the loss of a newborn. Our legal team knows the ins and outs of what it takes from experience. We’re also recognized as leaders in the legal industry from various legal communities.