Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you file for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held responsible for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition may be the result of an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. Injuries can be caused by 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 the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to examine your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents in determining the root of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of a mother's pregnancy but they can also happen as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit for families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to discover the reason for the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens when they are at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to their impact on the growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause malformed organs. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects due to 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 believes that their child's birth defect may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water and some could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are recognized to increase a woman's chances of having birth defect attorney defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.