Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child was born with a birth defect settlement defect it could have a devastating impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other losses can quickly add up.

A Hyattsville lawyer with a specialization in birth defects can help you claim compensation for the cost of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and therefore it is crucial to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals are required to follow a standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. When a doctor's actions are in violation of this standard and cause a birth defect law defect or injury and/or death, they may be held accountable for injuries suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defects lawsuits can help determine whether your child's health issue was caused by a medical error Birth Defect Attorneys during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor can also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This could lead to numerous serious issues, including hypoxic-ischemic neuropathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The difference between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup and injuries are triggered by something that happens during labor, pregnancy or delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an inflammation of the scalp. Both can lead to a lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who specializes in birth defects can offer a free consultation to look over your case and determine the best course of action for you and your baby.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawyer might be able to assist parents determine the cause of the child's birth defect law injury or defect. Many birth defects result from genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications have a significant impact on fetuses, Birth Defect Attorneys especially in the first trimester of a pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

The duty of a doctor is to be aware of these risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. If doctors do not adhere to this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies may also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks of their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, has been shown to increase the risk of major defects in the first trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can help families get compensation for future and current medical expenses that result from the disability or injury in addition to loss of income and quality of life. This can include doctor's, hospital or pharmaceutical costs, as well as aidive devices and treatments.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect settlement defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf families of children with congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses who expose pregnant women chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the reason for the birth defects so that they can file a lawsuit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy growth of the fetus causing chemical changes that prevent normal cell function or cause organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals can be present in a variety settings, including processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

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

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

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects are caused by an unintended medical error and environmental factors or chemicals. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be due to medical negligence, prescription drug overdose, or exposure to harmful chemical, they should consult an DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.

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

For instance, arsenic found in drinking water, and cadmium from coal that is contaminated can cause various birth defects as well as other health issues. Certain birth defects are also linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used in the production of semiconductors display panels, silicon chip displays, and video displays.

LK's skilled birth defect attorneys have filed numerous lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a range of birth defects due to the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or in their homes. These lawsuits typically involve complicated scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts and embryologists.