Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity this can be devastating for your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in pompano beach birth defect lawyer defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition could be due to a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be responsible for an injury to the fetus if they fail to recognize or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This can cause a number of serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth 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 during delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, birth defect NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their products. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help family members receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the injury or disability, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit for families of children who have congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify what caused the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens because they interfere with the normal development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect 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 defect lawsuit defects are 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, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

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

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and health problems. Certain birth defects are related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in behalf of children who suffered from various birth defects due to accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.