How To Create An Awesome Instagram Video About Birth Defect Litigation

Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an appeal to receive compensation for the expenses of caring for your child with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, which is why you should seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defect or injury and/or death, they may be held accountable for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's health condition may be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be responsible for birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or appropriately respond to fetal distress. This can result in a variety of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person's genetic make-up however, injuries are caused by something occurring during pregnancy, labor, or during delivery. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy, where the nerves controlling the baby's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an increase in the size of the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in significant medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation in order to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

An attorney for birth defects may be able help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications can have negative effects on fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. These include anti-nausea drugs such as NSAIDs, chemotherapy medicines including certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of developing limb and heart defects, brain deformities, and craniosynostois.

A doctor's job is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, then they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers about the dangers associated with their medications. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of major congenital problems in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the injury or disability, in addition to loss of earnings and quality of life. This could include hospital fees, doctor's fees, pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, Birth defect lawyers along with assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may file a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who have congenital disabilities as a result of the negligence of companies who expose pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that can cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine what caused the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are working or in their homes.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the normal development of a fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are present in diverse settings like manufacturing of semiconductors, cleaning of metals and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits against various companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

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

If pregnant women consume or absorb contaminants from their environment they could develop serious birth defects. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water and some are harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic from drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defect law firms defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are related to industrial solvents, such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers also increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors as well as silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a wide range of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits usually involve a sophisticated scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.