Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect, it can have a devastating effect on you and your entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you seek compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should seek legal counsel immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held accountable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits for birth defect lawsuit defects can assist you in determining whether your child's condition may be the result of an error birth defect attorney in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or adequately respond to fetal distress. This could lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a 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 during delivery. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that stimulate and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth as well as 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 skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation in order to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the cause for an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. 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 drugs are among the most common. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

The duty of a doctor is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers that come with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical costs, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for parents of children with congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth deformities. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies who were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects that the birth defect in their child could be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, may cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chance of having birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a variety of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.