Staten Island

Published on: December 16, 2011

Fund Established in New York to Cover Birth Injury Medical Costs

by Stephen Bilkis

A new fund was recently set up in the 2011-2012 New York State Medical Budget which will have the state, not hospitals, cover all medical costs for families with children suffering from brain injuries that follow birth complications caused by medical error.

According to a person in the know, New York’s newly established neurological fund will cover medical costs for children who have suffered brain or spinal cord injuries “caused by the deprivation of oxygen or mechanical injury in the course of labor, delivery or resuscitation – or by other medical services provided or not provided during delivery.”

New York is slated to contribute $30 million to the fund in its first year and increasing that contribution to $70 million in its second and third years. By its fourth year, the state will be contributing $100 million annually to the fund.

Published on: October 2, 2011

Experts suspect Opioid Pain killers may be linked to birth defects

by Stephen Bilkis

NYC Birth Injury Lawyers discussed a recent study that uncovered possible risks to pregnant women when they take opioid painkillers, which is found in codeine and oxycodone.

“It seems there is a small risk for birth defects associated with these pain medications,” a doctor said. “It looks like only certain birth defects were a common factor in the study.”

Statistics say that approximately 3 percent of U.S. babies are born with a malformation, including cleft palate, heart defects and spina bifida. Brain Injury is something that all doctors and hospitals in Staten Island and Westchester County are aware of.

Published on: September 21, 2011

Non-profit Consumer Advocacy group pushes to update the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976

by Stephen Bilkis

NY Birth Injury Lawyers have been examining the work of a non-profit’s group to pass what they call the “Kids-safe Chemical Act,” which hopes to be a major upgrade to the original Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976.

“Basically this group says there is a strong link between pollution and diseases in our population including lung cancer, infertility and birth defects,” said on NY Birth Injury Lawyer. “Current law does not force chemical companies to prove a chemical is safe before it ends up in children’s toys and products.”

He went on to explain that the Toxic Substances Control Act has not been amended since 1976 and has been recently called the weakest of all major environmental laws on the books today.