Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause an injury or birth defect, they can be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth Defect lawsuits (Library.pilxt.com) will help you determine if your child's health condition may be due to a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction 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 an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the reason behind the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of these risks when prescribing medicines for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and Birth defect lawsuits pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering 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 what caused the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against the companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, Birth defect lawsuits cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven 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 to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had children born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals may be 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 problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from various birth defects as a result of an unintentional exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.