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Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

If your child is born with a birth defect it can be devastating for your family and you. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly increase.

A Hyattsville birth defect lawyer could help you file claim for compensation for the costs of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects can be a little tangled, so it is important to seek legal advice as soon as you can.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to the highest standards of care when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held liable for damages if their actions result in birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer who is experienced in birth defect lawsuits will help you determine if your child's illness could be the result of an error in medical care during pregnancy or delivery.

A doctor could also be the cause of birth injuries if they fail to diagnose or appropriately respond to distress of the fetus. This can result in a number serious problems including hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

The distinction between a birth defect and a birth injury is that defects are part of a person's genetic make-up, while injuries are caused due to something happening during pregnancy, labor, or the birth. Injuries can be caused by Erb's palsy, where the nerves controlling the infant's arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another injury is called caput succedaneum. It's an inflammation of the scalp. Both of these conditions can result in permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, which can result in hefty medical costs. A Washington, DC birth defect lawyer will provide a no-cost initial consultation to review your case and determine the most appropriate course of action for you and your child.

Prescription Drugs

A birth defect attorney may be able to assist parents in determining the cause for the birth injury of a child. Many birth defects result from the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, medications can also cause birth defects. Many common medications can have negative effects on the fetuses. This is particularly evident in the initial three months of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy medications are among the most common. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostosis.

It is the professional responsibility of doctors to consider the risks when prescribing medication for pregnant women. When doctors fail to meet this standard of care, they could be liable for medical malpractice. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not properly inform mothers of the risks that come with their medication. Zofran, which is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, has been found to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancy.

A birth defect lawyer can assist family members receive compensation for future and current medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of earnings and the quality of life. This can include hospital costs medical expenses, doctor's fees and pharmaceutical costs and other expenses as well assistive devices and therapy.

Chemical Exposure

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

Some of the chemical exposures that lead to birth defects are herbicides, fungicides, metals and other pesticides. These chemicals are referred to as teratogens, because they can affect the healthy development a embryo through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs, or disrupt normal cell function. These chemicals are found in a variety of situations, such as processing of semiconductors and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are aliphatic hydrocarbons with aliphatic chlorinated chemistry such as perchloroethylene (trichloroethylene), trichloroethylene ( dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects, in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them while in the womb.

Parents have filed suit against a number of companies that were involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have secured substantial settlements on behalf families whose children were born with severe defects because of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Certain birth defects may be caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental factors. If a family suspects that a child's birth defects may be the result of medical negligence or prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemical or chemical substances, they should speak with an DC birth injury lawyer to discuss their case.

Chemicals and other toxins in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are inhaled or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are referred to as teratogens. Over 4 million chemicals are present in our air, food and water Some of them can be harmful when they come into contact with a woman who is pregnant.

For example, arsenic in drinking water as well as cadmium derived from coal that is contaminated may cause a variety of birth defects as well as other health problems. Certain birth defects are linked to industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser), toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers can increase the likelihood of birth defects occurring in women. These chemicals are used to manufacture semiconductors display devices, silicon chip displays and video displays.

The experienced birth defect attorneys at LK have filed a variety of lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a range of birth defects resulting from the wrongful exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at workplaces or at home. These lawsuits require complex scientific analyses and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists and epidemiologists.