Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help you file for compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defect law firm defects can be complex, so you should consult a lawyer immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in a birth defect or injury, they can be held accountable for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's health condition may be due to an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail recognize fetal distress and are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The difference 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 occurring during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injuries can include ailments like Erb's palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able help parents determine the cause for a child's birth injury. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers of the risks that come with their medication. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of serious congenital defects during the first trimester of pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive compensation for future and current medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital prescription, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can file a lawsuit 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 identify the root of the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or at their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as teratogens, because they can interfere with the normal development of a embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or prevent normal cell function. These chemicals are used in various settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may 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 that are employed in the manufacturing of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects as well.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects as a result of improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.