Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in a birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held responsible for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine if your child's condition could be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or do not respond appropriately. This can cause various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. Injuries can include ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to look over your case and birth defect lawyers determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the root of a child's birth injury, or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to be aware of the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not adequately inform mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, Birth Defect Lawyers has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This could include hospital expenses physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

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

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens as they interfere with the development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are found in many different settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers who live at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defect lawsuits defects are caused by an unintended medical error as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be the result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.