Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can be devastating for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held responsible for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine whether your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

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

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in the sense that they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, birth, or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum - an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to help parents determine the root cause of an infant'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. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks associated with their medications. 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 assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations exposing pregnant women to chemicals and other drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to find out what caused the birth defect, so they can sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they are at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens due to their impact on the development of the fetus through creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function, or can cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be found in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have gotten substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family is concerned that their child's birth defect may be the result of medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium from contaminated coal can cause numerous birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects due to wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.