Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. Doctors can be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or Birth Defect Attorneys fail to respond appropriately. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injuries can include conditions such as Erb's palsy, which occurs when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defect law firm defects may be able to help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by birth defects or genetics. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, Birth defect attorneys brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the dangers that come with their drugs. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses that result from the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the cause of birth defects so they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause numerous birth defects and health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts as witnesses, like toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.