Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an appeal to receive reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should seek legal counsel as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor can be held accountable for any damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can help determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or respond adequately to distress in the fetus. This can result in numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The causes of injuries include ailments like Erb's palsy, which occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their products. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the root of the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, birth defect lawyer arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and birth defect lawyer toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at work or at home. These lawsuits often involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.