Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you file for compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. A doctor can be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth defect Law Firms.

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

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy, which occurs when the nerves that energize and control the infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth and the caput succedaneum is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the root of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and the factors that influence the mother's pregnancy, they can also occur due to medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to be aware of these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers of the risks of their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancy.

An attorney for birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital expenses, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies exposing pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects so they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different situations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for 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

Some birth defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defect attorney defects if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are also associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase the risk of developing birth defects.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.