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. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and cause a birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held responsible for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, birth defect lawyer such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome that occurs when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the root cause of a child's birth defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many 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 drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for birth defects so they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at 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 defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase the chance of having birth defects too.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.