Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing a claim to recover reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should seek legal counsel immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard 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 with experience in lawsuits involving birth defect lawyers defects will help you determine if your child's illness could be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and fail to respond appropriately. This can lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or birth. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of them can cause lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the reason for the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens as they work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause malformed organs. These chemicals are used in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were 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 exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects among women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

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