Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and birth defect Attorneys other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you claim compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held responsible for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine whether your child's illness could be due to a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be responsible for birth injuries if they fail to recognize or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can cause a number of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to review your case, Birth defect attorneys and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may help parents determine the cause for the birth injury of a child. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur 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. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

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 that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defect attorney defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.