Pennsylvania Inadequate Prenatal Screening Attorneys

Inadequate Prenatal Screening

Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP of Pennsylvania can assist parents who believe that inadequate prenatal screening led to the birth of a mentally and/or physically damaged child that wouldn’t have been conceived or carried to term if only they had been given sufficient guidance. Not only is such a birth profoundly difficult on parents from an emotional standpoint, it also represents a heavy monetary burden that will last for the life of the child.

It is reasonable for those who wish to conceive a child to assume that their doctors will provide standard prenatal care. This care should include counseling regarding the risk factors associated with the particular couple’s age, genetic makeup and habits that might affect the health and well-being of a child they conceive. Many tests available can be used to determine the likelihood a child will be born with a serious birth defect.

According to case precedent in Pennsylvania, parents may have the right to sue for a wrongful birth, or a birth that would not have occurred had the parents been sufficiently counseled regarding the risk of their child suffering from a severe physical or mental abnormality. Some examples of genetic and non-genetic conditions prenatal screening can catch include the following:

• Down Syndrome
• Trisomy 22
• Fragile X Syndrome
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Racially-linked conditions such as sickle cell anemia or Tay-Sachs Disease

Parents who don’t receive sufficient prenatal screening, especially those with risk factors such as advanced maternal age or possibility of recessive genetic disorder, may have grounds to sue for monetary compensation if they have a child who suffers from these or other conditions. Their right to make a decision on whether or not to become parents was circumvented due to inadequate information from their doctors. Now, they are faced with raising a child who may suffer greatly throughout his or her life or may die young as a result of the condition. These parents also face monumental expenses associated with the ongoing care and support of their disabled or sick child.

Lawsuits charging medical professionals with providing inadequate prenatal counseling involve complex ethical and legal considerations. Cherry Fieger and Marciano, LLP can help Philadelphia-area parents determine their legal rights and options.

Visit our site dedicated to Pennsylvania Birth Injury Law