Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can have a devastating effect on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could assist you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complex, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and result in birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for the harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can determine if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy as well as brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able help parents determine the root cause of an infant's birth injury. While many friendswood birth defect attorney defects are caused by the genetics of a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medications. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This can include hospital costs, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth deformities. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at workplace or at home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens because they affect the healthy development of the fetus through causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or lead to malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won 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

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child may be a result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals could be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, vimeo semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase the chance of having birth defects as well.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from various birth defects due to accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.