Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an action to collect reimbursement for the costs of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held accountable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits will help you determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect lawsuits defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For instance, 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 pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings, including metal cleaning and semiconductor Birth defect law firms manufacturing.

Other chemicals that can cause birth Defect Law Firms defects include hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families that had children born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These substances are known as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and birth Defect law firms embryologists.