Do Not Make This Blunder With Your Birth Defect Litigation

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 add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to 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, which is why you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their babies. When a doctor's actions fall below this standard and result in an injury or birth defect attorney defect or injury, lawsuits they could be held accountable for the injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine whether your child's condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor can also be held liable for birth injuries if they fail identify fetal distress, or don't respond appropriately. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's a swelling on the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability and ongoing 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 way to proceed for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer could be able to help parents identify the root of the child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genes or other factors that occur during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of commonly used medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is especially applicable in the early months of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs as well as certain antibiotics, and more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the responsibility of a doctor to consider the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet this standard of care they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies can be held liable as well for not adequately warning mothers of the dangers that come with their drugs. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

An attorney for birth defects can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, loss of income and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other costs, in addition to aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer can bring an action on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify what caused the birth defect to sue companies that expose mothers to teratogens during the time they are working or in their homes.

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects are the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens due to the fact that they affect the development of a healthy fetus through chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different settings, including semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that may cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene perchloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements for families that had children born with severe defects due to the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by the combination of medical negligence and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects the birth defects of a baby could be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemicals and/or environmental factors, they should talk to a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed by or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Certain of these chemicals are harmful to pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated, for example, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Certain birth defects can also be linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) and toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a wide range of birth defects due to improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve an extensive scientific analysis as well as expert witnesses, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.