Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help you claim reimbursement for the expenses of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, so you should consult with a legal professional as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must follow a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and cause birth defects or injuries or injury, they could be held accountable for harms suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer with experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine whether your child's condition could be the result of an error made by the medical professional during the pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor may also be responsible for an injury that occurs during birth if they fail to identify or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can cause a number of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and cerebral palsy.

The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up and injuries are caused by an event that occurs during labor, pregnancy, or birth. The causes of injuries include conditions such as Erb's palsy, which occurs when the nerves that power and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or torn during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can lead to a permanent disability, and continued treatment will cost a great deal of money. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer can offer a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the best option for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect lawsuit defect attorney may be able help parents determine the reason behind an infant's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant impact on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines and NSAIDs as well as chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and more. These drugs have been found to increase the risk of developing limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to take into consideration these risks when prescribing medications for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they may be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for not properly warning mothers of the dangers associated with their drugs. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancy.

An attorney for Birth defect law firms (http://inprokorea.com/) defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and the quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's pharmaceutical, and other expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

A birth defect lawyer may bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities because from the negligence of companies that expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the root of the birth defect, so they can bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens as they are at work or in their home.

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects include the use of fungicides and metals as well as herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called teratogens, because they can influence the healthy development of a the fetus via chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are present in a variety environments, including metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.

Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies who were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements for families whose children were born with serious defects as a result of the exposure to toxic chemicals on the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defects can be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family is concerned that their child's birth defect may be the result of medical negligence, prescription drug abuse or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

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

Arsenic found in drinking water or cadmium found in coal that has been contaminated for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are also caused by industrial solvents such as benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers are also known for their ability to increase the chance of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used to make semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

LK's experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from a variety of birth defects as a result of improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically require complex scientific analysis and experts as witnesses, like toxicologists as well as epidemiologists, geneticists occupational medicine specialists and embryologists.