Why You Should Hire a birth defect law firms Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing an action to collect compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in an injury or birth defect, they can be held responsible for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This could lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy 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, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is the caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to analyze 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 cause for the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers associated with their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for the future and present medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the root of birth defects so they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they affect the development of a healthy the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are the aliphatic hydrocarbons like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in 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 defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who had children born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes the birth defect of their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to an 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 absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are present in our food, air and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects are also associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chance of having birth defects.

LK's experienced attorneys for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children who suffered from many birth defects as a result of accidental exposure to toxic chemicals or firms chemicals at their workplace or home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.