Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file claim for reimbursement for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or birth defect lawyer their infants. When a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and birth defect lawyer result in birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's illness could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can lead to a range of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. The causes of injuries include ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or torn during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is a swelling of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are due to genetics and the factors that influence the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur due to medications. Many common medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is particularly relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most popular. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. When doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they may be liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get compensation for future and current medical expenses associated with the injury or disability, in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's or pharmaceutical expenses, as well assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety locations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are inhaled or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist 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 as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause a variety of birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits often involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.