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Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it could have a devastating effect on your family and you. Medical bills, therapy expenses and other expenses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer who is specialized in birth defects can help you file for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects could be complicated, which is why you should consult with a legal professional as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women or their infants. Doctors can be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be responsible for birth injuries if they fail in diagnosing or respond adequately to fetal distress. This can result in many serious problems like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or during delivery. Injuries can include ailments like Erb's palsy that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth and the caput succedaneum is a swelling of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a lot of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to look over your case and determine the best method of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents in determining the root cause of a child's birth 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 as a result of medications. Many common medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most popular. These medications have been linked to an increase in chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

It is a doctor's professional duty to be aware of the potential risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. If doctors fail to adhere to the requirements of this standard of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers associated with their products. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancies.

An attorney who specializes in birth defects can help a family get compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and quality of living. This could include hospital fees medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other costs, as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of the families of children suffering from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to find out what caused the birth defect so that they can bring a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens while they are at work or in their home.

Some of the exposures to chemicals that lead to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, birth defect lawyers metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different environments, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or 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 in order to ensure that companies are held accountable for the families of soldiers in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects could be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other pollutants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed by or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens are the name for these chemicals. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water Some of them could be harmful if they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For instance, arsenic from drinking water and cadmium in contaminated coal can cause a variety of birth defects and health problems. Industrial solvents such as benzene toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also linked to certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers, which are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase a woman's chances of having birth defects too.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a range of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.