Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating impact on 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 appeal to receive compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to diagnose or respond adequately to distress of the fetus. This could lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care 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. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A rochester birth defect law firm defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine what caused the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are at work or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are present in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes that their child's birth defect may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a range of birth defects as a result of improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and firms expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.