Tobacco Companies Sued Childbirth Injury Lawsuit

4/19/2012 3:30 PM EST

Argentinean tobacco farmers filed childbirth injury lawsuits against major tobacco companies claiming they knowingly poisoned them with pesticides, causing their children to be born with debilitating birth defects.

The plaintiffs filed their childbirth injury lawsuits in Delaware state court against Philip Morris, Monsanto and other U.S. tobacco giants. They allege the tobacco companies asked them to use pesticides, herbicides and other toxic products, assuring them they were safe, according to Courthouse News. They further contend that Monsanto’s pesticides contaminated their water wells, non-tobacco crops, and streams, exposing their families to the hazardous chemicals.

The complaint says the defendants "wrongfully caused the parental and infant plaintiffs to be exposed to those chemicals and substances which they both knew, or should have known, would cause the infant offspring of the parental plaintiffs to be born with devastating birth defects."

Some of the birth defects that affected the farmers’ children include psychomotor retardation, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, congenital heart defects, metabolic disorders, blindness and missing fingers.

If your child was born with a birth defect due to hazardous chemicals, contact Sokolove Law for a free legal consultation and to find out if a birth injury lawyer may be able to help you.