Birth Defects and Injuries

The Houston Birth Defect Lawyers at the Merman Law Firm are uniquely positioned to help victims of birth defects caused by defective drugs and defective products.

Houston Birth Defect Lawyers - Information

Birth defects are structural or functional abnormalities present at birth that cause a physical or mental disability. Some may be fatal – all are tragic. Researchers have identified thousands of different birth defects. Currently, birth defects are the leading cause of death for infants during the first year of life. The Center for Disease Control ("CDC"), reports that 3% of babies born in the United States are born with a birth defect; many times, the cause is unknown. According to the CDC, birth defects are the leading causes of infant death in the U.S. – causing almost 20% of all infant deaths.

There are many potential causes of birth defects, some of which remain unknown.  Some of the known causes are genetic – cases where a gene is incomplete or does not function properly or are caused by chromosomal abnormalities – where a chromosome is missing or incomplete.  Genetic abnormalities account for a fraction of the birth defects in the United States every year.  While tragic, genetic birth defects are not preventable.

Many birth defects are preventable, however, if pharmaceutical companies are willing to rigorously test their products before placing them on the market.  These preventable birth defects are caused by exposure to teratogens during pregnancy. With the advances in medicine, technology, and most importantly rampant profiteering by pharmaceutical companies, more and more pregnant women are exposed to teratogens.   These toxic chemicals are found in many drugs that are prescribed to treat issues and symptoms completely unrelated to pregnancy, such as anti-depressants.  Some of these drugs are very common and may have been taken for years prior to pregnancy, including Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Wellbutrin, and Depakote.

If your child was born with a birth defect, contact the attorneys at the Merman Law Firm.  Mr. Merman has a degree in Biology from Baylor University and understands the mechanism of teratogen exposure and its link to birth defects.  Not only does Mr. Merman understand the biology of birth defects, but he can communicate the issues effectively to a jury in a way they can understand.  Call the Merman Law Firm and have a free consultation with Mr. Merman today.