Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in birth defects or injuries the doctor could be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition may have been caused by an error made by a doctor during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be responsible for a birth injury when they fail to identify or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This could lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the cause for a child's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by birth defects or genetics. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medicines for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or at their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect law firm defect lawyers have won significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.