Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can have a devastating effect on you and your family. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects could help you seek compensation for the cost of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complex, so you should seek legal counsel whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their infants. A doctor can be held responsible for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's condition could have been caused by an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail detect fetal distress or are unable to respond in a timely manner. This can cause a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and littlefield birth defect law firm injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or birth. Injury can include Erb's Palsy which is a condition where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum which is a swelling on the scalp. Both of these conditions can lead to lifelong disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in large medical bills. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to examine your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the cause of a child's birth injury, birth defect lawsuit or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and factors during a mother's pregnancy, they can also occur because of medications. Many commonly used medications can have a negative impact on the fetuses. This is especially evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications, certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the duty of a doctor to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies can also be held responsible for not adequately inform mothers of the risks associated with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects during the first trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive compensation for future and current medical expenses that result from the disability or injury, as well as loss of income and quality of life. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and medications that cause birth Defect lawsuit deformities. They are trained to discover the reason for the birth defect in order to file a lawsuit against companies who expose mothers to teratogens while they work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy embryo through chemical changes that cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane or trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause cardiac birth defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to expose companies to liability for exposing families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families who have children who were born with severe defects resulting from the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family believes the birth defect of their child may be due to medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

If pregnant women inhale or absorb pollutants from the environment, they can cause serious birth defects. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our air, food and water. Certain of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.

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

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have brought numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects resulting from wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.