Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor do not meet the standards and cause a birth defect or injury, they can be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's illness could be due to a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

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

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, birth defect Attorneys pregnancy, or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or birth defect attorneys defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen due to medications. A number of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly inform mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

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 chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out the reason for the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens as they work or at their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus through creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include the aliphatic hydrocarbons like trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, such as cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment and then develop birth defects. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated can cause numerous birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.