Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it can cause a lot of grief for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital 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. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause an injury or birth defect or Redlands Birth Defect Attorney injury, they could be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be the cause of a plymouth birth defect attorney (have a peek here) injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and 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, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a free consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur because of medications. Many common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially true in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the requirements of this standard of care, rock hill birth defect Law firm they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This can include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine what caused the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawsuit defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could be the result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water and some could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.