Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing a claim to recover reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should consult a lawyer 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 can be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of them can cause lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a free consultation to review your case, and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the disability or injury as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to their impact on the growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these west New York birth defect law firm defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

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

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain ozark birth defect law firm defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects as well.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed many lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from various birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic or chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts as witnesses, like toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.