Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it could have a devastating effect on the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file claim for compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or new rochelle birth defect law firm during delivery.

A doctor can be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a new rochelle birth defect law firm injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. Injuries can include issues like Erb's syndrome which develops when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these can 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 decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet the standards of care required, they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs 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 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. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus through producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are present in various settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects resulting from the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that a child's seattle birth defect lawyer defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out an DC minnesota birth defect law firm injury attorney to discuss their case.

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

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the risk of birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.