Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can cause a lot of grief for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help you seek compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be the cause of birth injuries if they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to distress in the fetus. This can cause a number of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, birth defect lawyer especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, birth defect lawyer and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be found in many different situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of birth defects as well.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a range of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve complex scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.