Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could assist you seek reimbursement for the expenses of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and cause birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held liable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or adequately respond to fetal distress. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as 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 makeup however, injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit for families of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover what caused the birth defect, so they can sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or at their homes.

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

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known 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 against a variety of companies that were involved in 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 resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth defect lawsuit injury attorney to discuss their case.

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

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.