Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity it could be devastating for your family and you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause an injury or birth defect the doctor could be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be liable for birth injuries if they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to fetal distress. This could lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost lots of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to look over your situation and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to help parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. A number of commonly used medications have a profound effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of deformities in the limbs and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medications. Zofran, which is 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 help family members receive compensation for future and current medical expenses resulting from the disability or injury as well as loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, as well as assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

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

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are some of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens because they affect the development of the fetus producing chemical changes that block normal cell function or create organs that are malformed. These chemicals are found in many different environments, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.

Other chemicals that can cause pine hill birth defect attorney defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, 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 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 on behalf of families whose children were born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects the Malibu birth Defect Lawsuit defects of a baby could be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals or chemical substances, they should speak with a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from the surrounding environment and then develop birth defects. Teratogens are the term used to describe these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects as a result of unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.