Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it could cause a lot of grief for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file a claim to recover reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in an injury or birth defect, they can be held liable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and don't 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 make-up and injuries are triggered due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or birth defect attorneys delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents determine the reason for the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused because of medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and Birth Defect Attorneys NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the standards of care required, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers that come with their medicines. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue parents of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of businesses which expose pregnant women and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the root of birth defect attorneys defects so they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens because they affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of environments, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

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. Certain of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause numerous birth defect lawsuit defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects as well.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer 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, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.