Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity, it can be devastating for your family as well as you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help you seek compensation to cover the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and it is essential to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits can assist you in determining the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be responsible for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to diagnose or adequately respond to fetal distress. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to analyze your case and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications can have a negative impact on foetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines including certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their products. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of a pregnancy.

A birth defect lawsuit defect lawyer can help families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses that result from the disability or injury, as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. They are referred to as teratogens due to their impact on the healthy development of the fetus through making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or cause malformed organs. These chemicals are present in various settings, including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies involved in 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 whose children were born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures on the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium from coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and health issues. Certain birth defects can also be caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays are known to increase a woman's risk of developing birth defects as well.

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