Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Attorney

The joy of being a parent can turn into a harrowing event when you discover that your child was born with a birth defect. Most birth defects require lifetime medical attention, which could result in staggering financial costs.

A New York birth defect attorney will determine if your child's illness was caused by medical negligence or dangerous chemicals or drugs.

Causes of Birth Defects

Contact a Long Island birth defect attorney as soon as you can should your child suffer from a birth defect that could have been prevented by a medical professional. A reputable lawyer will be able to handle the preceding steps quickly and efficiently, ensuring that you can grieve for the loss of your family member.

Birth defects are functional or structural changes to the body of a fetus which can affect virtually any part of the human body. They can result in physical issues, intellectual and developmental disabilities like difficulties in learning or communicating or having difficulty with activities like walking or taking care of oneself.

Certain birth defects can be detected before the baby is born by specific tests. These include analyzing the cells in blood samples or examining a sample of amniotic liquid or the placenta. Doctors are increasingly able to detect birth defects using fetal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Certain birth problems are caused by genetic factors like abnormalities in the fetus's genetic chromosomes or. These conditions can be passed down from parents or they could result from new mutations to the fetus's DNA that were discovered during the conception. Some of the most commonly occurring genetic birth defects are spina bifida, trisomy 21, and Tay-Sachs disease. Numerous other genetic birth defects have no explanation at all.

Medical Malpractice

You could be able to file a claim against the medical professional for malpractice in the event that you or your child were injured as a result of a mistake made by the health provider. This can include failure to treat/diagnose, including doctors not taking your symptoms seriously, or making a mistake in diagnosis and not initiating the correct treatment or failing to follow-up on test results, medication errors (e.g., anesthesia mistakes such as giving too much or the wrong medication) and surgical mistakes (e.g., a surgeon leaving a surgical retractor blade in the patient during surgery).

Finding a lawyer who has experience in malpractice cases may be challenging. But, you can ask for recommendations from family members and acquaintances and attorneys in other areas. You can also reach out to your state bar association. Most bar associations offer search/referral services to help you locate a qualified medical negligence attorney.

Chemical Exposure

Sometimes birth defects can be caused by exposure to dangerous chemicals that harm the mother or the fetus. Many of these chemicals are found in the workplace where they are used to manufacture items like plastics, paint, batteries and ceramic glazes. They can be ingested through inhalation, ingestion or simply absorbed through the skin. Certain of these toxins have been shown to increase the risk of a birth defect in a child such as spina Bifida and other physical and mental conditions.

These chemical agents known as teratogens can be found in prescription drugs that were not prescribed by doctors, in chemicals employed in the workplace, like those found in semiconductor "clean room" environments, or in toxic substances that can pollute the air and water of communities. The Thornton Law Firm has represented numerous parents whose children were born with serious birth defects because the mothers were exposed to glycol ethers, coal ash and pesticides at their place of employment.

Contact an experienced New York birth injury lawyer for a free consultation now if you believe that the birth defect of your child was caused through medical negligence, birth defect lawsuits toxic exposure or dangerous drug during pregnancy. These claims are highly urgent and subject to strict time limitations. An experienced attorney can determine if a child is able to file an claim, and if it should be filed through the court system or through a settlement agreement.

Product Liability

Many birth defects are the result of an improper prescription or exposure to chemicals. Parents are advised to consult an attorney for birth defects right away if they believe that their child's health issue was due to medical negligence or dangerous medications. These cases can be complex and sensitive to time.

Medical malpractice claims typically concern the cause of a birth defect that is caused by environmental factors, such as chemical or environmental exposure prescriptions that are not properly followed or drugs, or inadequate prenatal care. It is imperative for families to seek legal assistance whenever possible, because the time-limit for a medical malpractice case is limited to 1 year.

Medication birth defect lawsuits are also brought in instances where the doctor acted negligently when prescribing medication to the mother, for example in not understanding the way in which a certain drug could interact with other medications the woman may be taking or by not adequately advising her of the potential side effects. A Maryland lawyer for birth defects in medication can help clients obtain damages in the event that a doctor causes birth defect or injury due to doing something negligently.

A newborn who has a serious birth defect may need to pay for a hefty amount of surgeries, medical treatments, and therapy throughout the child's life. A knowledgeable and experienced birth defect attorney can assist parents determine if the child's medical issue was the result of medical negligence or a hazardous drug or exposure to toxic substances.