Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an action to collect compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and cause birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could be liable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury, or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, income loss and vimeo quality of living. This can include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A petersburg birth defect law firm defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the cause of the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC la plata birth defect law firm injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb pollutants from the environment and Vimeo then develop birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.