Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be accountable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This could lead to a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where 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 can result in a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide 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 could be able to assist parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury, or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most popular. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, birth defect has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses associated with the disability or injury, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of locations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawsuit defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water, and some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on the name of children who suffered from various birth defects due to an unintentional exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits usually involve a sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.