Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, Vimeo medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects could assist you claim compensation for the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor are not in line with this standard and result in birth defect or injury, they can be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects will help you determine if your child's illness could be the result of an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or birth. 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 caput succedaneum which is an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC maple grove birth defect attorney defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of a pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications including certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to consider the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers of their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been shown to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and 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 may sue families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of businesses exposing pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of birth defects so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have obtained substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC pittsburg birth defect law firm injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

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

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.