Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for north charleston birth defect attorney defects are complex and it is essential to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and cause a birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and birth defect NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers that come with their medicines. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney 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 assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit for families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the reason for the birth defect in order to sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or birth Defect disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of locations, such as the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are known as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents like benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.