Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

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

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can lead to many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is the caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused because of medications. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines, certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the disability or injury in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that cause birth deformities. They are trained to identify the root of the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or Vimeo chemical. 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 an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are called Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or Vimeo cadmium from coal that is contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase the risk of birth defects as well.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from many birth defects due to an unintentional exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.