Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help you file for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and result in birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held liable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition may have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be accountable for a birth injury when they fail to recognize or respond adequately to distress in the fetus. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the root cause of the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the duty of a doctor to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and other drugs that cause birth deformities. They are trained to discover the cause of the birth defect, so they can file a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or birth defect lawsuit hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers can increase the risk of Birth Defect Lawsuit defects among women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a range of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits often involve complex scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.