Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can be devastating for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, and you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be accountable for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or properly respond to distress in the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can include issues like Erb's syndrome which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during the birth process as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth injury. While many birth defect lawyers defects are the result of genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother however, they may also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to take into consideration the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not properly warning mothers of the dangers associated with their products. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to 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 lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are present in diverse settings like semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are 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 in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who have children who were born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

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

For instance, arsenic from drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defects, as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as 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 for the manufacture of semiconductors display devices, 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 range of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.