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 the entire family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help you seek compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect, they can be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be liable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can result from conditions like Erb's Palsy that occurs when the nerves which energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during the birth process, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents determine the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. A number of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the 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 file an action 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 defect Lawsuit defects. They are trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a case 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 due to their impact on the healthy growth of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are used in a variety of locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe defects resulting from the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or absorbed by pregnant women. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits typically require an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.