Why You Should Hire a birth defect attorney Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth deformity this can have a devastating effect on the entire family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled children. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause birth defects or injuries and/or death, they may be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can assist you in determining whether your child's health condition may be the result of an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held responsible for birth injuries if they fail to identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy that occurs when the nerves that energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or torn during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in permanent disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation to examine your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able help parents determine the reason behind the birth injury of a child. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of a mother's pregnancy however, they may also occur due to medications. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea medications and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and more. These drugs have been proven to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider these risks when prescribing medicines for pregnant women. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers that come with their products. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancy.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit for families of children with congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially-trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can bring a case against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the development of a healthy foetus by causing chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs or hinder normal cell function. These chemicals are present in diverse settings like semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that their child's birth defect may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the situation.

Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the term used to describe these substances. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals may be harmful to pregnant women.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that has been contaminated can trigger a variety of birth defects and health problems. Certain birth defects are caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers also increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a myriad of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits often involve sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.