Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity this can cause a lot of grief for your family and you. Therapy costs, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defect lawsuit defects may be able to help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation in order to look over your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents determine the reason for the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical costs, Birth Defect in addition to aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can sue parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for the birth defect, so they can sue companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their homes.

Metals, birth defect fungicides herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they interfere with the normal development of a fetus through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be used in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane or 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 lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.