Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you seek compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice immediately.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. Doctors can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail diagnose fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) 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 due to something happening during labor, pregnancy, or the birth. These injuries can be caused by issues like Erb's syndrome that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of an infant are stretched or ruptured during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to review your case, and determine the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the reason behind the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during the pregnancy of a mother but they can also happen as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses, particularly in the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs including certain antibiotics, and many more. These drugs have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the potential risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held accountable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect attorney can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This can include doctor's, hospital, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer could sue families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the cause of the birth defects so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are a few chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus by causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function, or can cause organs to be malformed. These chemicals can be present in a variety settings, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies that were involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained significant settlements for families whose children were born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects are caused by the combination of medical negligence as well as environmental conditions or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from coal that has been contaminated can trigger various birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.