Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity, it can have a devastating effect on the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you seek compensation to cover the costs of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defect attorneys defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held accountable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's condition may have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or the birth. Injuries can result from issues like Erb's syndrome which develops when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to review your case, and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or 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 impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their products. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

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

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of environments, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven 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 exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe 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 may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like 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 to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.