Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses 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 could be complicated, and you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. If a doctor's actions are not in line with this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held accountable for the damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's health condition may have been caused by an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or firms properly respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. Injuries can result from conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves that energize and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or damaged during birth as well as caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to assist parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by 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 foetuses. This is particularly true in the first three months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to be aware of these risks when prescribing medicines for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for failing to adequately warn mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancy.

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 doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical costs, in addition to assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering 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 cause of the birth defect in order to sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they are at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that 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 hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are hydrocarbons that are aliphatic, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause donora birth defect law firm defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, firms they should talk to a DC oakdale birth defect law firm injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects are also related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a variety of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.