Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth defect lawyers it could have a devastating effect on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect reimbursement for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (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 by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. 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 which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to examine your situation and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents in determining the root cause of an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and other factors that occur during the mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines including certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been linked to an increased risk of limb defects and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get reimbursement for future and ongoing medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury, and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital expenses as well as doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of birth defects so they can bring a case against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are used in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been shown to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe birth defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water. Some of these chemicals may be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and health problems. Certain birth defects are associated with 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 to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a myriad of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically involve complicated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.