Why You Should Hire a
birth defect law firms Defect Lawyer
If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth, it can be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other expenses can add up quickly.
A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects may be able to help you claim compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are complex and therefore it is vital to seek legal advice immediately.
Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. If a doctor's actions do not meet the standards and result in a
birth defect or injury, they can be held responsible for damages sustained by their patient. A DC lawyer who has experience in lawsuits for birth defects can help you determine if your child's illness could be due to an error made by a doctor during pregnancy or the birth.
A doctor may be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail detect fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This could lead to a variety of serious problems, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.
The distinction between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic makeup however, injuries are caused by something occurring during labor, pregnancy or birth. The causes of injuries include issues like Erb's syndrome that occurs when the nerves that stimulate and control the arms of a newborn are stretched or ruptured during birth and caput succedaneum, a swelling of the scalp. Both of these can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical bills. A Washington, DC lawyer who is specialized in birth defects will offer a free consultation to review your case, and decide on the best course for you and your baby.
Prescription Drugs
A birth defect lawyer may be able to help parents determine the cause of a child's birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. A variety of common medications can have a negative impact on fetuses. This is especially relevant in the first three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most frequently used. These medications have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, heart defects, brain defects and craniosynostosis.
It is a doctor's professional duty to consider these risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors do not follow this standard of care, then they may be held liable for malpractice. Pharma companies can also be held accountable for not properly informing mothers of the risks associated with their medication. Zofran is a medication used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was found to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.
An attorney for birth defects can assist a family in obtaining compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. This could include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs, and other expenses, along with assistive devices and therapy.
Chemical Exposure
A birth defect lawyer could bring a lawsuit on behalf of parents of children with congenital disabilities because due to the negligence of corporations who expose pregnant women to chemicals and medications that cause birth defects. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the reason for the birth defect in order to bring a lawsuit against the companies which expose mothers to teratogens while they are at work or in their homes.
Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens because they interfere with the normal development of a the fetus via chemical changes that can cause abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of settings, including the manufacturing of semiconductors and cleaning of metals.
Other hazardous chemicals that could cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene or dichloroethane. These chemicals have been found to cause birth problems, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.
Parents have filed lawsuits against several firms that were responsible for the exposure of families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf families who had their children born with severe birth defects because of the toxic chemical exposures at the base.
Environmental Exposure
Certain birth defects may 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 lawyer to discuss their case.
If pregnant women ingest or absorb contaminants from their environment, they can cause serious birth defects. Teratogens is the name given to these substances. More than 4 million chemicals exist in our food, air and water and a few can be harmful if they come into contact with pregnant women.
Arsenic in drinking waters or cadmium in coal that has been contaminated for instance, can cause birth defects and other health problems. Industrial solvents, such as trichloroethylene, toluene, and benzene (a metal degreaser) are also linked with certain birth defects. Glycol ethers that are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are well-known to increase the chances of having birth defects too.
LK's experienced
birth defect attorneys have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children suffering from a range of birth defects due to unintentional exposure to toxic chemicals and chemicals at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically require complex scientific analysis and experts, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists, geneticists, occupational medicine experts, and embryologists.