Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it can be devastating for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth Defect Lawsuit defects may be complicated, which is why you should seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could be the result of a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, 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 type of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and factors during a mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused because of medications. A number of commonly used medications have a profound effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help family members receive compensation for current and future medical expenses resulting from the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or create malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the risk of birth defects.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve complicated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.