Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it could be devastating for the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect law firms defect lawyer can help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should seek legal counsel immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and cause an injury or birth defect and/or death, they may 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 condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This could lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defect attorneys defects in the sense that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. The causes of injuries include conditions like Erb's Palsy which develops when the nerves which energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during the birth process, and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may help parents determine the root of the birth injury of a child. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Certain commonly used medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their drugs. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to identify the cause of birth defects, so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus by creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf of families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment they could develop serious birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers (read what he said) have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits usually involve a an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, including toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.