Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can cause a lot of grief for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuit defects lawsuits will help you determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or fail to respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries, such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can cause permanent disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by birth defects or genetics. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's or birth defect lawyer pharmaceutical expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the reason for the birth defect to sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to organs that are malformed. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water, and some of them are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.