Opioid Painkillers Responsible For Addictions and Death

Doctors who liberally prescribe opioid painkillers to treat chronic or severe pain may be putting their patients at substantial risk of addiction and overdose. Many patients who went to their doctors for pain relief have found themselves saddled with drug addiction and facing lifelong consequence and adverse medical conditions.

If you have been administered or prescribed an opioid painkiller and subsequently became addicted to them or suffered an overdose, you may be eligible for substantial compensation. The Hayes Law Firm: Attorney Finding Service can help you locate a reputable attorney in your area who can assist you in filing a claim. Call us today at 1-800-603-6833.

The Trouble With Opioid Painkillers

In 2009, the Center For Disease Control (CDC) reported that almost 14,000 patients in the United States overdosed on an opioid painkiller that year. This was twice as many deaths as a decade before. And the situation has only gotten worse. Today, the CDC reports that approximately 44 people in the United States die every day from prescription opioid painkillers.

Opioid painkillers are some of the nation’s most dangerous substances and are sold under brand names like:

• Vicodin/Hydrocodone

• OxyContin/Oxycodone

• Dilaudid

• Methadone

• Fentanyl/Duragesic

Although opioid painkillers can be very effective at treating chronic and severe pain, when they are not prescribed or taken properly, the patient can become addicted to them and/or suffer an overdose.

Studies show that the majority of doctors who are not qualified as pain specialists have difficulty administering the correct dosage of an opioid painkiller to their patients. Some prescribe dosages that are higher than necessary, putting their patients at risk of overdosing. Others, treat their patients with opioids for longer than needed, increasing the likelihood of addiction.

Furthermore, patients who are administered opioid painkillers by means of a process referred to as opioid rotation, in which they are switched from one opioid to another in order to increase the effectiveness of the drugs or to minimize the adverse consequences, are also exposed to the same health risks.

Doctors and other medical professionals, have a duty to treat you with a certain standard of care. If they breach this duty of care by, for example, prescribing you the wrong dosage or liberally prescribing medication that you do not need, and you suffer an injury, you may pursue a medical malpractice claim against them and/or the medical establishment for which they work, to be compensated for any additional pain and suffering, lost wages, or medical expenses you incur.

The Hayes Law Firm: Attorney Finding Service

If you or a loved one has been a victim of an overdose or become addicted to an opioid painkiller prescribed to you by a doctor, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the physician and/or hospital that was responsible for your injuries. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer who specializes in bad drugs can assist you in filing a claim for compensation. For help with finding a qualified medical malpractice attorney in your area, call The Hayes Law Firm: Attorney Finding Service at 1-800-603-6833, or leave us a message online.