Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. If the actions of a doctor are in violation of this standard and cause birth defects or injuries, they can be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or don't respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost 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 root of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and other factors that occur during a mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, Vimeo.Com was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect to bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working 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 known as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or lead to malformed organs. These chemicals are used in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water, and some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause various birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of birth defects too.

LK's skilled birth defect law firm defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a myriad of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.