Why You Should Hire a Birth Defect Attorney

Knowing that your child is suffering from a birth defect can transform the joy of parenthood into a terrifying experience. Most birth defects require lifetime medical care. This can result in massive financial burdens.

A New York birth defect attorney can determine whether your child's condition was caused by negligence on the part of doctors or dangerous chemicals or drugs.

Causes of Birth Defects

If your child suffers an issue with their birth that could have been prevented by a medical professional, you should contact a Long Island birth defects attorney promptly. A reputable lawyer can take care of the preceding steps quickly and efficiently, ensuring you can grieve for your injured family member.

Birth defects are structural or functional changes to the body of a fetus that can impact almost any part of the human body. They can cause physical issues or intellectual and developmental disabilities like difficulty learning or communicating or difficulty with walking or taking care of oneself.

Some birth defects can even be detected before the baby is delivered by using special tests. These include analyzing cells in blood samples or taking a sample of amniotic liquid or the placenta. Nowadays, doctors are able to diagnose birth defects through fetal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.

Certain birth defects are caused by genetic causes, such as abnormalities in the chromosomes and genes. These abnormalities may be inherited from the parents, or they may result from new mutations in the DNA of the fetus that occurred during conception. A few of the more commonly occurring genetic birth defects are spina bifida, trisomy 21 and Tay-Sachs disease. Many other genetic birth defects have no explanation at all.

Medical Malpractice

If you or your child suffered a medical injury due to mistakes made by a doctor or other health medical professional, you could be able to sue for medical malpractice. This includes inability to diagnose, such as the doctor does not take your symptoms seriously, makes an incorrect diagnosis, is unable to begin the proper treatment, or fails to follow up with the results of tests. It can also include mistakes in medication, such as the wrong diagnosis of anesthesia, giving too much medication or the wrong type of medication, and surgical errors.

Finding a lawyer with experience in malpractice cases can be challenging. But, you can ask for recommendations from family members and close friends as well as lawyers in other areas. In addition, you can contact your state bar association. Most bar associations offer search/referral services that can help you locate a qualified medical negligence attorney.

Chemical Exposure

Sometimes birth defects can be caused by exposure to dangerous chemicals that affect the mother or fetus. A lot of these chemicals can be used in the workplace, where they are used in the manufacturing of various products, including paints, ceramic glazes, batteries and plastics. These chemicals are ingested, inhaled or just absorbed through the skin. Certain of these toxins have been proven to increase the chance of the child to develop a birth defect such as spina-bifida, as well as other psychological and physical disorders.

The teratogen chemical compounds can be found in prescription drugs that were not prescribed by doctors, in chemicals employed in the workplace such as those used in semiconductor "clean room" environments or in toxic substances that contaminate the air and water in communities. The Thornton Law Firm has represented many parents whose children have been born with serious birth defects due to the mothers were exposed to glycol ethers or coal ash, as well as pesticides at their work.

If you believe the birth defect of your child resulted from negligence by a doctor, a hazardous substance or toxic exposure during pregnancy, consult an experienced New York birth defect law firm injury attorney for a free consultation about your case today. These claims are highly dependent on time and there are strict time limits. An expert attorney can help determine if your child is eligible to file a claim, and if it should be filed through a court case or a settlement agreement.

Product Liability

Many birth defects can be caused by an incorrect prescription or exposure to chemicals. It is important for parents to consult an attorney for birth defects right away when they suspect that their child's health issue was the result of medical negligence or dangerous medications. These cases are often complicated and extremely time-sensitive.

Medical malpractice cases usually involve the cause of a birth defect that is caused by environmental factors, like exposure to chemicals or environmental toxins and prescriptions for birth defect improperly administered drugs or inadequate prenatal care. It is essential for families to seek legal help whenever possible as the time limit for a medical malpractice claim is only one year.

A lawsuit for a birth defect caused by medication could also be filed if the doctor was negligent in prescribing medication to a mother. For example the doctor did not understand the interactions of a medication with other medications the woman may be taking or did not adequately inform her of the side effects. A Maryland attorney who specializes in medical birth defects can help clients recover damages when a doctor acts negligently and causes a birth injury or birth defect.

A family with a newborn with a severe birth defect may be required to pay for extensive surgeries, medical treatments, and therapy throughout the child's life. A birth defect lawyer who is knowledgeable and experienced can assist parents determine whether the medical condition of the child was caused by medical negligence, a hazardous drug, or toxic exposure.