Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it can have a devastating effect on your family and you. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file claim for compensation for birth defect law firms the cost of caring for your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and birth defect law Firms therefore it is vital to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow an appropriate standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If the actions of a doctor are in violation of this standard and cause birth defect or injury the doctor could be held accountable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine the cause of your child's illness. caused by a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be liable for an injury to the fetus if they fail to identify or adequately respond to fetal distress. 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 make-up and injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injury can include Erb's Palsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able help parents determine the root of a child's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs, certain antibiotics, and more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the disability or injury in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's, pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can sue families of children with congenital disabilities because of the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens as they interfere with the growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or create organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are found in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other harmful chemicals that could cause birth defect law firms defects include aliphatic cyaninated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical such as benzene, they should seek out an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals could be dangerous to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium from contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents like benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, employed in the manufacturing of semiconductors, silicon chips and video displays are known to increase the chances of having birth defects as well.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits on the name of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.