Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can cause a lot of grief for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be liable for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or adequately respond to fetal distress. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, Patterson Birth Defect Attorney or the birth. These injuries can be caused by ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused due to medications. Many commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A Lebanon Birth Defect Law Firm defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting 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 birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens as they interfere with the growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause malformed organs. These chemicals are found in many different settings, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the holladay birth defect lawyer defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment They could cause serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.