Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on the entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an appeal to receive compensation for Birth Defect Lawsuits the expenses of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or appropriately respond to fetal distress. This can cause numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like 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 caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - a swelling on the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify what caused the birth defect in order to sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the healthy development a fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of situations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment They could cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

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

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.