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 the entire family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of caring for your child 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 are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause birth defect or injury, they can be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held liable for Birth Defect Attorneys birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or don't respond appropriately. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by circumstances 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 legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the reason for the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These medications have been linked to an increase in chance of limb deformities, brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to 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 dangers 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 attorney can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defect law firms defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.