Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can cause a huge impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer can assist you in filing claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. A legal claim for birth defects may be complex, so you should consult a lawyer as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of standards when treating pregnant women or their infants. If the actions of a doctor are in violation of this standard and result in an injury or birth defect or injury, they could be held liable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in birth defects lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor may be liable for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to diagnose or appropriately respond to distress in the fetus. This can result in numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy 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 caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy or birth. The most common injuries are Erb's Palsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is caput succedaneum which is swelling of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can provide a free initial consultation to review your situation and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents identify the root of a child's birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and other factors that occur during the mother's pregnancy however, they can also be caused due to medications. Many common medications have a significant effect on fetuses, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These medications have been linked to an increase in risk of limb defects and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the dangers that come with their medication. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family receive compensation for current and future medical expenses associated with the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical expenses, as well aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause edgewater birth defect lawyer defects. They are trained to determine the root of birth defects, so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that can lead to birth defects are metals, fungicides, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers exposed while they were in 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 these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families that had children born with severe birth defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family is concerned that the birth defect of their child could be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult a DC pratt birth defect law firm injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium from coal that is contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, used in the manufacture of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase the risk of developing birth defects.

The experienced lawyers at LK for birth defects have filed numerous lawsuits in behalf of children suffering from various Pontiac birth defect lawyer defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.