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Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect this can cause a lot of grief for your family as well as you. Therapy costs, medical bills and other losses can add up quickly.

A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects could help you claim compensation to cover the costs of caring for your disabled children. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and it is essential to seek legal advice whenever you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held accountable for any damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits can help you determine whether your child's illness could have been caused by an error made by the medical professional during pregnancy or the birth.

A doctor could also be accountable for an injury to the fetus if they fail in diagnosing or properly respond to distress of the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious complications, including hypoxic ischemic disorder (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by circumstances during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. A possible injury is Erb's spalsy where the nerves that control the infant's arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another type of injury is caput succedaneum - swelling of the scalp. Both of these conditions can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can offer a free consultation 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 to help parents determine the reason behind a child's birth injury. Many birth defects are caused by genetics or factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of commonly used medications can have negative effects on foetuses. This is particularly applicable in the early months of pregnancy. They include anti-nausea medicines, NSAIDs, chemotherapy medications such as certain antibiotics and many more. These medications have been linked to a higher risk of limb deformities and heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.

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, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharmaceutical companies could be held accountable for not adequately warning mothers of the risks associated with their medicines. For instance, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been proven to significantly increase the risk of major congenital defects in the first trimester of pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist families get compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This can include hospital, doctor's prescription, pharmaceutical, and other costs, as well as assistive devices and therapies.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are known as Teratogens since they interfere with the development of the fetus through making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to organs that are not properly formed. These chemicals are used in various settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.

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

Parents have filed lawsuits to hold companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of these birth defect lawyers have secured significant settlements for families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions or chemical. If a family is concerned that the birth defect in their child could result from medical malpractice, prescription drug overdose or exposure to toxic chemicals, they should consult an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature if they are ingested or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as Teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are found in our air, food and water, and some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, could cause birth defects and other health issues. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and toluene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol-ethers also increase the risk of birth defects in women. These chemicals are used for the manufacture of semiconductors, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced attorneys at LK's firm for birth defects have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffered from various birth defects as a result of the wrongful exposure to chemicals or toxic substances at their workplace or home. These lawsuits involve complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.