Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity, it can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an appeal to receive reimbursement for the costs of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine whether your child's illness could be the result of an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could be liable for a birth injury when they fail to diagnose or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defect law firms defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. Injuries can include conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that power and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen because of medications. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines such as certain antibiotics and many more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, birth defect brain deformities and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family receive reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses related to the disability or injury, as well as loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the root of the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals can be present in a variety locations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defect in their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

Our experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits in the name of children who suffered from many birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.