Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child's health condition may be due to a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and don't respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and birth defect lawyer arms are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, swelling of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your situation and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the root of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for birth defect lawyer current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defect law firm defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. They are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase the chances of having birth defects as well.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.