Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth this can have a devastating impact on you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly accumulate.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects could help you file for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their babies. Doctors can be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defect lawsuit defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine if your child's condition could be due to an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could be liable for Birth Defect Lawsuit injuries if they fail in diagnosing or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or during delivery. These injuries can be caused by conditions such as Erb's palsy which is caused when the nerves which energize and control the arms of an infant are stretched or damaged during birth and caput succedaneum, 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 will provide a no-cost initial consultation to analyze your case and determine the most appropriate option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might help parents determine the root cause of a child's birth defect. While many birth defects are due to the genetics of the mother's pregnancy, they can also occur as a result of medication. A number of commonly used medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most common. These drugs have been shown to increase the risk of limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostosis.

A doctor's responsibility is to take into account these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not properly informing mothers about the risks associated with their medications. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.

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

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may sue families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies that expose pregnant women to teratogens either at work or at home.

Metals, fungicides and herbicides as well as pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. They are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the growth of the fetus creating chemical changes that hinder normal cell function or cause malformed organs. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings including semiconductor manufacturing, metal cleaning and paint production.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in the heart in babies born to mothers who were exposed during their time in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defects lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe defects due to the exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family suspects that the birth defects of a child may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These chemicals are called Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

For example, arsenic in drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated can cause a variety of birth defects, as well as other health issues. Industrial solvents such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are recognized to increase a woman's risk of birth defects.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a wide range of birth defects resulting from unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at work or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.