Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer
If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could cause a huge impact on you and your family. Medical bills, therapy costs and other expenses can quickly become a burden.
A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file an action to collect compensation for the costs of taking care of your disabled child. Legal claims for birth defects are complicated and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice as soon as you can.
Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals must adhere to a certain standard when treating pregnant women or their infants. If the actions of a doctor fall below this standard and cause a birth defect or injury the doctor could be held responsible for damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits involving birth defects can help you determine whether your child's condition could be due to a medical error during pregnancy or the birth.
A doctor could also be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail to detect fetal distress or fail to respond appropriately. This can lead to a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic brain injury and hypoxic encephalopathy such as cerebral palsy.
The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something that happens during pregnancy, labor, or birth. Injuries can include issues like Erb's syndrome that occurs when the nerves which energize and control an infant's arms are stretched or ruptured during birth, and caput succedaneum, an increase in the size of the scalp. Both can result in a permanent disability, and continued treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is skilled in birth defects can provide a no-cost consultation to examine your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.
Prescription Drugs
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birth defect attorneys defect lawyer may be able to help parents identify the cause of the birth injury or defect. While many birth defects are the result of genetics and the factors that influence the pregnancy of a mother, they can also occur because of medications. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. This includes anti-nausea medication, NSAIDs, chemotherapy drugs including certain antibiotics, and many more. These medications have been linked with an increased risk of deformities in the limbs and heart defects, brain deformities and craniosynostois.
It is the professional responsibility of doctors to be aware of the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to meet the standards of care required, they could be held liable for medical negligence. Pharma companies could also be held responsible for not adequately informing mothers about the risks that come with their medication. For example, Zofran, a medication used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been demonstrated to significantly increase the risk of congenital defects that are major in the first trimester of pregnancies.
A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the disability or injury, in addition to loss of earnings and the quality of life. This could include hospital costs physician's fees, pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well as assistive devices and therapy.
Chemical Exposure
A birth defect lawyer can bring a lawsuit on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities resulting from the negligence of companies which expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to identify the cause of the birth defect to file a lawsuit against companies which expose mothers to teratogens during the time they work or at their home.
Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are just a few of the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are called Teratogens because they influence the healthy development of a foetus by causing chemical changes that cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals can be found in many different settings, including manufacturing of semiconductors, metal cleaning and paint production.
Other chemicals that can cause birth defects include aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as dichloroethane and trichloroethylene perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause heart defects in babies born to mothers exposed during their time in the womb.
Parents have filed lawsuits against several companies involved in the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of these
birth defect lawyers have won significant settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.
Environmental Exposure
Some birth defects can be caused by a combination of medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects the birth defects of a child could be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals such as benzene, they should seek out a DC birth injury attorney to discuss their case.
Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause serious birth defects when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. Teratogens are the names given to these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and some can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.
Arsenic in drinking water or cadmium in contaminated coal for instance, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents like benzene, toluene and trichloroethylene (a metal degreaser) are also associated with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers, which are used in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase the chances of having birth defects as well.
LK's highly experienced birth defect lawyers have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a range of birth defects caused by the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits involve complicated scientific analyses and expert witnesses like toxicologists and epidemiologists.