Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects may be able to help you claim compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor could be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be due to a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of them can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the root cause of a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and the factors that influence a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur as a result of medications. A number of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held responsible for not properly inform mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancy.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of life. This can include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out the reason for the birth defect so that they can sue companies which expose mothers to teratogens when they are working or in their homes.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are used in a variety of situations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other harmful chemicals that could 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 who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various 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 secured significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and firms environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase the risk of birth defect law firms defects as well.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as experts, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.