Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file claim for compensation for the expenses of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is vital 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 babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held liable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition may be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defect attorney defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or damaged during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation to review your case, and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medication. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital fees physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children with 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 root of birth defects so they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

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

Other chemicals that can 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 who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or 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 birth defect 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 names given to these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water Some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects as well.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects caused by unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or birth defect at home. These lawsuits typically involve complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.