Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it could be devastating for the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could assist you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, and you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and don't respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or delivery. These injuries can be caused by conditions like Erb's Palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control an infant's arms are stretched or damaged during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen because of medications. Many common medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyers defect lawyer can assist family members receive compensation for current and future medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include doctor's, Birth defect lawyers hospital, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be used in a variety of locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and Birth defect Lawyers expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.