Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, Birth Defect law Firms therapy costs and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth Defect law firms defects can help you seek compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition could have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome, which occurs when the nerves which energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the cause of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

A doctor's duty is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. 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 first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and medications that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the reason for birth defects, so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are used in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are known to increase the risk of birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require sophisticated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.