Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and birth defect attorneys your entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition could be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can lead to many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. These injuries can be caused by conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth and the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur as a result of medications. Many commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been linked to an increase in risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors 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 liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their products. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could file a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to discover the root of the birth defect, so they can bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens as they interfere with the healthy growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase the chance of having birth defects too.

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