Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an action to collect compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause birth defect or injury, they can be held responsible for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in warr acres birth defect attorney defects lawsuits can help determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This could lead to many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens 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 referred to as teratogens, because they can influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and some could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects and health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain college park birth defect lawsuit defects. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects as well.

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