Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can be devastating for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an appeal to receive reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defect law firm defects are a bit nebulous, so it is important to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect and/or death, they may be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. Injuries can include issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and Birth defects the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a no-cost consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medications. A variety of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly 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 to an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their products. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital fees as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the cause of birth defects so they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and birth defects pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to the fact that they influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be used in a variety of environments, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

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

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

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from many birth defect attorney defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits usually involve a complex scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.