Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor Birth defect Lawsuit are not in line with this standard and result in birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held responsible for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This could lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. 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

An attorney for birth defects may help parents determine the root cause of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during a mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines, certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks associated with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action 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 identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects that the birth defect in their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women consume or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth Defect lawsuit defects. These chemicals are called teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and some could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defect law firms defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in behalf of children who suffered from various birth defects due to an unintentional exposure to chemicals or birth defect lawsuit toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.