Opioid-Related Medical Malpractice Claims

Medical professionals can have a huge impact on our lives, and we trust in their decisions to improve our health and to keep us safe during treatment. Many times, a doctor treating you or your loved ones will decide to administer powerful opioid drugs. However, these drugs can be dangerous, and improper use of these drugs can devastate you and your family. Opioid medical malpractice claims are meant to help those who were improperly treated with these drugs, and they also serve to discourage other doctors from carelessly over-prescribing these powerful medications in the future.

If your life has been turned upside down by an opioid drug prescribed by a doctor, you should seek skilled legal counsel to recover the compensation that you deserve. Our Chicago medical malpractice lawyers understand how difficult this time can be for you and your family, and we know how to help.

Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. today at (312) 236-2900 to schedule a free consultation.

Types of Opioids Prescribed by Doctors

Opioids are used for many medical purposes in the treatment of patients, and this widespread use may result in both doctors and patients not treating these drugs with the care that is necessary for safe use. You may be prescribed one or several types of opioids to help you if you suffer from ailments, such as:

• Pain resulting from an injury
• Acute pain possibly caused by surgery
• Chronic pain
• Chronic coughing
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Breathing conditions

Opioids include the highly addictive and illegal drug heroin. Over the years, many types have been developed including:

• OxyContin
• Vicodin
• Percodan
• Tylox
• Demerol
• Percocet
• Palladone, which was taken off the market in 2005

Opioid Use Can Have Devastating Consequences

Opioid medical malpractice claims have been on the rise over the last few years since their use by doctors has lead to serious patient addictions. Most often prescribed for pain, an opioid can make you feel much better at first, but if not careful, it is easy to develop a physical dependence on the drug.

This dependence can result in serious withdrawal symptoms including nausea, irritability, and vomiting if you stop taking the opioid. In addition, the results of opioid addiction can include:

• Suffering from hallucinations, delirium, and frequent confusion.
• Being unable to properly perform basic tasks at work.
• Having a reduced awareness of imminent dangers in activities, such as driving or walking down the street.
• Experiencing hypoventilation, also known as respiratory depression, in which you cannot properly breathe. This is the most common cause of death due to an opioid overdose, which may happen solely due to opioid use or by mixing opioids with other substances.

Recovering Compensation in Your Opioid Medical Malpractice Claim

Just like with any other medical malpractice claim, it must be shown that your doctor did not treat you within the professional standard of care. For opioid cases, this usually involves showing that you did not require opioids, or that you were prescribed far too many to not expect an adverse medical consequence. To win your opioid medical malpractice case, your lawyer will have to show the following:

• Your doctor deviated from the proper standard of care while treating you.
• You suffered an injury or harm due to the doctor’s failure.
• The damages that you suffered as a result of this can be shown. This will include things, such as your health problems from the doctor’s negligence, the work you lost, and the toll that has been taken on your family.

Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. Can Help With Your Opioid Medical Malpractice Claim

Opioid abuse is a huge problem in the United States, and many thousands of people die every year due to this growing epidemic. Our doctors must be careful when prescribing powerful drugs for our treatment, and they should carefully monitor our progress to make sure that these medications do not cause severe harm.

If you or a loved one has been hurt due to opioids prescribed by a doctor, do not hesitate to seek a skilled and compassionate lawyer to help you pursue compensation. Call Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. to speak with an experienced medical malpractice attorney about your case and how we can help you.

Contact a Chicago medical malpractice lawyer today at (312) 236-2900 for a free consultation.