Doctors Are Fatally Over prescribing Opioids

 Posted on October 25, 2017 in Personal Injury

Doctors often prescribe opioid pain medications to alleviate patients’discomfort after an injury, surgery, or procedure. These medications are highly addictive and many patients have difficulty weaning themselves off these powerful drugs without outside assistance. For many patients who struggle with continued opioid use, it begins with a prescription,develops into a life-altering drug problem, and ultimately leads to death.In such cases the prescribing doctor(s) could be held liable for medical malpractice and wrongful death.

Building a Case for Negligence and Medical Malpractice

In order to successfully sue for the wrongful death of a loved one, you will have to prove that the opioid addiction and corresponding death resultedfrom medical malpractice. In other words, the court will require evidence that the prescribing doctor failed to demonstrate appropriate care for the patient, provided inappropriate or inadequate treatment, and that their negligence caused your loved one’s death.

The difficulty of proving negligence depends on the circumstances. If the person for whom a physician prescribes opioid pain medication is a recovering drug addict and does not disclose this information, the doctor is less likely to be considered negligent. However, if the doctor knew that thepatient was a current or recovering drug addict and prescribe opioids anyway, this is much more likely to be considered negligence. Medical malpractice could also be proven in cases in which the treatment was disproportion at the medical issue at hand.

Experienced Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death Attorneys in Greenwich

However, you shouldn’t make a judgement on your own as to whether or not you have a viable case. That’s what our medical malpractice and wrongful death lawyers at Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC are here for. We are prepared to sift through relevant medical records, help you obtain an expert witness, and build a comprehensive case against the medical professionals responsible for your loved one’s opioid addiction and death. All you have to do is connect with us, tell us about your case,and let us do the hard work for you.

Call 203-661-6000 or schedule a free case evaluationto get started.