Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect, it can be devastating for you and your family. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's condition may be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be accountable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to recognize or properly respond to distress in the fetus. This can result in a variety of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects in that they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injury can include Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's limbs and arms are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these could result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will provide a free consultation to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the cause for an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy medications are among the most frequently used. These drugs have been linked with an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to be aware of the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other costs, in addition to assistive devices, and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify what caused the birth defect to sue companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects include metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they interfere with the growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be found in a variety of settings including the manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from their environment They could cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are called teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

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

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits are based on complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.