Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held accountable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may have been caused by an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This can lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction 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 pregnancy, labor, or the birth. Injuries can result from ailments like Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves which energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during the birth process and the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may help parents determine the cause for a child's birth defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medication. For instance, 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 a pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include hospital fees medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of the birth defect so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they work or at their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they affect the development of a healthy foetus by causing chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should contact an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.