Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth deformity it could 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 birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect compensation for the costs of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

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

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and do not respond appropriately. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation in order to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a profound effect on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and Birth Defect Attorneys chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, Birth Defect Attorneys heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus by making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects because 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 chemical. If a family believes that their child's birth defect may result from medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium from coal that is contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects too.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys (see here now) have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.