Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can cause a huge impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could help you file for compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and cause birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects will help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error in medical care during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy, or birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these could lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can provide a free consultation to look over your case and determine the most appropriate course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind an infant's birth injury. While many birth defects are due to genetics and factors during the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur because of medications. Certain common medications have a profound effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's job is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families in getting compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This could include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. They are trained to identify the reason for the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens because they affect the development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are present in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have gotten significant settlements for families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family believes the birth defect law firms defect of their child could result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb contaminants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens are the name for these substances. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, may cause birth defects as well as other health problems. Industrial solvents like benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the production of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.

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 often involve complex scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.