Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect lawsuit deformity it can be devastating for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you file for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This can cause numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the mother's pregnancy but they can also happen because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty 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, birth defect lawyers then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for current and future medical expenses associated with the disability or injury as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their homes.

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

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth defect attorney injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, Birth Defect Lawyers air and water, and some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from contaminated coal can cause various birth defects, as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects as a result of improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.