Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and it is essential to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. Doctors can be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's health condition may have been caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or birth defect lawyers torn during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's 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 because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect law firm defect lawyer can help a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the fungicides, birth defect lawyers metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be present in a variety situations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene 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 these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects because of 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 suspects the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents like trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects as well.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.