Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an action to collect compensation for the expenses of taking care of 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 a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. Doctors can 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 determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and don't respond appropriately. This can cause many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or birth defect lawyer labor. The causes of injuries include issues like Erb's syndrome which develops when the nerves that power and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, birth defect lawyer an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen as a result of medication. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not adequately inform mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the root of the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in various settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defect of their child could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

Chemicals and other contaminants 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 are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a wide range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.