Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect law firm defect lawyer can assist you in filing a claim to recover compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. Doctors can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's health condition may have been caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be the cause of a birth injury when they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to fetal distress. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, birth defect lawsuits including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) 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 however, injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents determine the cause of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors 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 drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of 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 the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses that result from the disability or injury, as well as loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

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

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy growth of the fetus making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or create organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be present in a variety situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because 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 believes the birth defect of their child may result from medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from their environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects can also be related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.