Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Lawyer
If your child was born with an anomaly in the birth it could be devastating for you and your family. The cost of therapy, medical bills and other losses can quickly mount up.
A Hyattsville lawyer that specializes in birth defects can help to file a claim for compensation for the cost of caring for your child with disabilities. Legal claims for birth defects are a bit nebulous and it is essential to seek legal advice whenever you can.
Medical Malpractice
Medical professionals must follow a standard of care when treating pregnant women and their infants. When a doctor’s actions are not in line with this standard and cause birth defect or injury or injury, they could be held accountable for the damage suffered by their patient. A DC lawyer who is experienced in lawsuits for birth defects can assist you in determining whether your child’s condition could be the result of an error in medical care during the pregnancy or delivery.
A doctor could be held accountable for birth injuries if they fail detect fetal distress or do not respond appropriately. This can result in a variety of serious issues, such as hypoxic ischemic brain injury (HIE) and brain injuries like cerebral palsy.
The difference between birth defects and birth injury is that defects are a part of a person’s genetic make-up and injuries are triggered by something occurring during labor, pregnancy, or delivery. Injuries can be caused by Erb’s palsy which occurs when the nerves that control the infant’s arms and legs are stretched or torn. Another form of injury is the caput succedaneum, a swelling on the scalp. Both of these can cause permanent disability and require ongoing treatment, resulting in large medical expenses. A Washington, DC lawyer who is an expert in birth defects may provide a free consultation to analyze your case and decide on the best course for you and your baby.
Prescription Drugs
A birth defect lawyer may be able to assist parents determine the cause of a child’s birth injury, or defect. While many birth defects are caused by genetics and the factors that influence the mother’s pregnancy however, they can also be caused as a result of medication. A variety of common medications can have a significant impact on fetuses especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Anti-nausea medications, NSAIDs and chemotherapy drugs are among the most popular. These drugs have been linked to an increased chance of limb deformities, brain defects, heart defects and craniosynostois.
It is the responsibility of a doctor to take into consideration the risks when prescribing medication for women who are pregnant. If doctors fail to adhere to this standard of care, they may be held liable for negligence. Pharma companies could also be held accountable for not adequately informing mothers about the risks that come with their medication. Zofran is a medication that is used to treat nausea in cancer patients, was shown to increase the risk of major defects in first-trimester pregnancies.
A birth defect lawyer can assist families receive compensation for current and future medical expenses related to the injury or disability, and also loss of income and quality of life. This could include doctor’s, hospital or pharmaceutical expenses, as well as aidive devices and therapies.
Chemical Exposure
A birth defect lawyer can sue families of children with congenital disabilities as a result due to the negligence of corporations exposing pregnant women to chemicals and drugs that cause birth deformities. These lawyers are specially trained to determine the cause of the birth defect so that they can file a lawsuit against companies that expose mothers to teratogens when they work or at their home.
Some of the chemical exposures that contribute to birth defects include the fungicides, metals, herbicides and other pesticides. These chemicals are called Teratogens since they interfere with the healthy development of the fetus making chemical changes that inhibit normal cell function or lead to malformed organs. These chemicals can be found in a variety of locations, such as metal cleaning and semiconductor manufacturing.
Other dangerous chemicals that may cause birth defects are aliphatic chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and dichloroethane. These chemicals have been known to cause birth problems, including cardiac disorders in babies born to mothers who were exposed to them in the womb.
Parents have filed lawsuits against a variety of companies involved in exposing the families of soldiers at Camp Lejeune to these 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 defects are caused by a combination between medical negligence and environmental conditions. If a family is concerned that their child’s birth defect may be a result of medical negligence, prescription drug overdose or exposure to harmful chemicals, they should consult a DC birth injury lawyer to discuss the matter.
Chemicals and other substances in the environment can cause birth defects of a serious nature when they are consumed or taken in by pregnant women. These substances are known as teratogens. More than 4 million chemicals can be found in our food, air and water. Some of these chemicals can be harmful to pregnant women.
For instance, arsenic found in drinking water and cadmium in coal that is contaminated may cause various birth defects and other health issues. Certain birth defects are associated with industrial solvents like benzene (a metal degreaser) as well as toluene (a solvent for plastics) and trichloroethylene. Glycol-ethers, which are utilized in the production of silicon chips, semiconductors and video displays, are known to increase a woman’s risk of birth defects too.
LK’s experienced birth defect attorneys have brought many lawsuits on behalf of children who suffer from a myriad of birth defects as a result of wrongful toxic and chemical exposure at workplaces or in their homes. These lawsuits typically involve sophisticated scientific analysis and expert witnesses, such as toxicologists or epidemiologists, geneticists embryologists and occupational medicine experts.