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Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer

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

A Hyattsville lawyer who specializes in birth defects may be able to help to file a claim for compensation to cover the costs of caring for your children with disabilities. A legal claim for birth defects can be complicated, and you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical professionals must adhere to a set of guidelines when treating pregnant women and their babies. A doctor could be held liable for damages when their actions cause birth defects or injuries. A DC lawyer with experience in birth defect lawsuits can help determine if your child’s condition was caused by a medical mistake during pregnancy or during delivery.

A doctor may also be the cause of a birth injury when they fail to diagnose or adequately respond to distress of the fetus. This can lead to a range of serious issues, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.

birth defect law firms injuries differ from birth defects because they are caused by events during pregnancy, delivery, or labor. Injuries can be caused by Erb’s palsy where the nerves that control the baby’s arms and limbs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is called caput succedaneum. It’s an inflammation of the scalp. Both can result in lifelong disability, and ongoing treatment can cost a significant amount of money. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may offer a free consultation in order 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 identify the root of the child’s birth injury or defect. Many birth defects are caused by the genetics of the baby or other factors during pregnancy. However, certain medications can also cause birth defects. Certain common medications have a significant effect on fetuses and babies, particularly during the first trimester of a pregnancy. Anti-nausea drugs, NSAIDs, and chemotherapy drugs are among the most commonly used. These medications have been proven to increase the risk of limb and brain deformities, heart defects, and craniosynostois.

A doctor’s responsibility is to take into account the risks when prescribing medications for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to follow this standard of care, they could be held accountable for negligence. Pharmaceutical companies could be held liable as well for failing to adequately warn mothers of the dangers associated with their medicines. Zofran is a drug used to treat nausea among cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects occurring in first-trimester pregnancies.

A birth defect lawyer can assist a family to obtain compensation for medical expenses, income loss and quality of living. 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 an action on behalf of families of children who suffer from congenital disabilities that result from the negligence of businesses that expose pregnant women to chemicals or drugs that cause birth defects. They are trained to determine the cause of birth defects so that they can bring a suit against companies who expose pregnant women to teratogens at work or in their home.

Metals, fungicides, herbicides and pesticides are among the chemicals that can cause birth defects. These chemicals are referred to as Teratogens since they influence the healthy development of a fetus through chemical changes that lead to abnormal organs or block normal cell function. These chemicals are found in many different locations, such as semiconductor manufacturing and metal cleaning.

Other chemicals that can cause birth defects are hydrocarbons with aliphatic properties, like dichloroethane, trichloroethylene, or perchloroethylene. These chemicals have been proven to cause birth defects, including cardiac defects in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them during the womb.

Parents have filed lawsuits in order to make companies accountable for the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina exposed to harmful chemicals. Some of the birth defect lawyers have won substantial settlements on behalf of families who had their children born with serious defects as a result of exposure to toxic chemicals at the base.

Environmental Exposure

Some birth defect attorneys defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family suspects that their child’s birth defect may result from medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should talk to a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the issue.

Chemicals and other contaminants in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or absorbed by pregnant women. Teratogens is the name given to these chemicals. Over 4 million chemicals exist in our air, food and water and a few can be harmful when they come into contact with pregnant women.

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

LK’s highly experienced birth defect lawyers have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who have suffered from a wide range of birth defects resulting from improper exposure to chemicals and toxic substances at work or at home. These lawsuits typically involve complex scientific analysis and expert witnesses, including toxicologists, epidemiologists, geneticists, embryologists and occupational medicine experts.