Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it can be devastating for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and birth defect lawyer their babies. A doctor could be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

birth defect lawsuit injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and birth defect lawyer determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents determine the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many commonly used medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most popular. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they work or at their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the healthy development a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child may result from medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should contact a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are associated with industrial solvents like 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 to manufacture semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.