Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth defect lawsuit it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could assist you in filing an appeal to receive compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to 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 cause birth defect or injury the doctor could be held liable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has expertise in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining if your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and 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 make-up however, injuries are caused due to something happening during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of the genetics of the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. 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 pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical costs, in addition to aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue families of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the cause of the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against the companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they work or at their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes that the birth defect of their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water and some can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a variety of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.