Opioids are addictive. Opioids are over-prescribed, and any death that results from an opioid overdose is a death that could have been prevented. Doctors know how addictive opioids are when they prescribe them, and they should always take care to only prescribe an amount that is safe enough to take where the individual won't become addicted to the drug. But what happens when a doctor over prescribes opioids and someone becomes addicted? What happens when they overdose on the opioid? Who is responsible, can the doctor be held responsible? Can you pursue a wrongful death claim against the doctor because of the overdose? In this FAQ, we're going to go over the options that the surviving family members have when a loved one overdoses because of opioids that were prescribed.
If your loved one passed due to an opioid addiction, your family has options to rectify this situation. Opioids are highly addictive, and doctors should know the correct amounts to prescribe to any client regardless of the situation. If you have questions about how a personal injury lawyer can help your family's claim, call or contact our Personal Injury Lawyers in St. Louis immediately.
Do you have a Wrongful Death Claim Because of Overprescribed Opioids?
Personal Injury Lawyer St. Louis
Did you know that the Pharmaceutical companies push highly addictive opioids onto doctors, and then continue to do so, even more, when they find a doctor who will comply with overprescribing the opioids? Pharmaceutical companies and doctors know how addictive opioids are, but they continue to push the drugs anyway because of the massive profit they make off of the drugs. This is a dangerous and negligent act that often ends up hurting the patient more than helping. The addictive nature of the opioids means that people develop a dependency on the drug, and then have to take it more often, and probably even past the point of when the injury they took it for has healed. When the pharmaceutical companies first introduced opioids as pain relievers they said that they wouldn't be addictive, but that quickly turned out to be false.
130+ People die every day from opioid overdoses, and the worst part is, is that opioids aren't needed for every case of pain, and yet certain doctors will push opioids because they are paid to. So what do you do if a loved one passes from an opioid overdose? Who can you hold accountable? Can you sue the pharmaceutical company? Can you sue the doctor? Here is the answer. You can sue both. Doctor's should know whether or not a patient needs an opioid, and they should know how much to prescribe so that a patient doesn't get addicted to the drug. When they go beyond the safe limits, and someone gets addicted and or hurt from the drug, they should absolutely be held liable for their actions.
If you've lost a loved one to the opioid epidemic, your family has options that they should absolutely pursue. If you have questions about the steps your family should take, how a personal injury lawyer can help your claim, or what steps our firm can take to help your family, don't hesitate to call our Firm at your earliest convenience. Our Personal Injury Lawyers in St. Louis fight for the rights of individuals and families who have been affected by the opioid epidemic. We can help your family.