Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it could cause a lot of grief for you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you file for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause Birth defects (aragaon.net) or injuries and/or death, birth defects they may be held liable for birth defects the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition may have been caused by an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur due to medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines, certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens because they affect the healthy growth of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defect attorneys 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 significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.