Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it could be devastating for your family as well as you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect compensation for the costs of taking care of your child with disabilities. 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 must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. A doctor could be held accountable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical mistake during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress in the fetus. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, birth defect lawyers pregnancy or delivery. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy which develops when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth defect attorneys, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother however, they can also be caused because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for the future and present medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, birth Defect lawyers doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to 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 that result from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at workplace or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy foetus by causing chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these 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

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger numerous birth defects, as well as 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 defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.