Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file a claim to recover compensation for the expenses of taking care of your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should consult a lawyer immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held accountable 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 illness could be due to a medical error during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be responsible for an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This could lead to various serious problems, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the reason for a child's birth injury or defect. 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 foetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked to a higher chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from 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 determine the root of birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects are the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different situations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defect lawsuit defects include hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of 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 families who had their children born with severe defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family believes that their child's birth defect may be due to medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

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

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a range of birth defects caused by wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine experts and embryologists.