Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held accountable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's condition could be the result of an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail in diagnosing or respond adequately to distress of the fetus. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation in order to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able to assist parents in determining the root of an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most commonly used. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is a doctor's professional duty to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet the requirements of this standard of care, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for current and future medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their homes.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they affect the development of a healthy the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have won substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect in their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the environment They could cause serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water Some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the risk of developing birth defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complex scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.