Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can have a devastating effect on your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may be due to a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This could lead to a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These medications have been proven 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 risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help family members receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses that result from the disability or injury as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and corbin birth defect lawsuit therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of environments, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

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

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out 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 referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and some are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain yukon Birth defect attorney defects are also caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complex scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.