Opiod Addiction

Opioid Addiction Lawyers

Opioids are a type of drug, sometimes called narcotics and act as strong prescription pain relievers. These are legally prescribed by healthcare providers to deal with severe chronic pains. Besides legal medicinal purposes, there are some opioids like heroin, which are illegal.

Opioid addiction occurs when the patient has a compulsive urge to use the opioid drugs out of their prescribed instructions, regardless of how harmful they can get. Once misused, opioid addiction can very negatively affect the patient, impacting their health, regular, professional, and personal lives.

Opioids can change the chemistry of the brain due to which drug tolerance develops, and that is why higher amounts of the drug are needed overtime to produce the same effect. After taking this drug legally over a long period of time, the user can develop dependence, which means that when they stop taking the drug, they suffer withdrawal symptoms like muscle cramping, diarrhea, anxiety, etc.  Sometimes addiction can lead to serious complications, including death.

Types of Opioids

There are many types of opioids used for treatments, and the type prescribed to you depends upon the type and injury and level of pain. In many cases, sometimes opioid combinations are prescribed. Some opioids used for treatment are

• Codeine: A medication that lasts few hours per dose and is sometimes combined with other medicines to be properly utilized.
• Oxycodone: This is available in both a short-acting and long-acting pain medication form. It is a strong drug prescribed for severe conditions.
• Fentanyl: A synthetic opioid drug about 100 times stronger than morphine designed to deal with terminal illnesses such as end-stage cancer and acute or breakthrough pains. It is incredibly addictive and can be very lethal.
• Hydrocodone: A short-acting pain medication similar to codeine.
• Hydromorphone: It is a short-acting opioid which is known to take effect quickly.
• Morphine: One of the most effective opioids and also potentially one of the strongest.
• Methadone: Besides its use as a weaning drug for some opioids or heroin, methadone is also useful in the management of control chronic pain.
• Oxymorphone: A long-acting form that is effective for up to twelve hours. Oxymorphone is sometimes used in place of morphine.
• Pentazocine: This is a short-acting opioid and is rarely used in its strongest form due to its tendency to cause confusion and anxiety.

Effects of Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction can be life-threatening. Since opioids alter the brain functioning, they trigger the production of a chemical called dopamine, which is associated with pleasure and good feelings. Besides more dosage requirement, they suppress a chemical called noradrenaline (NA), which is responsible for body functions like blood pressure or even breathing. This ultimately leads to painful withdrawal symptoms for the addicts. With overdoses, intense breathing problems occur or death-causing unconsciousness if not treated immediately.

Misuse of prescription opioids, overdosing prescriptions, and addictions affect about 2 million Americans and approximately 15 million people around the globe each year, and the number is on the rise. Overdose of prescription opioids caused about 20,000 deaths in the United States in 2016. Drug overdoses have become one of the leading causes of deaths in the US and opioids account for more than half of all.

Opioid Addiction Lawsuits

Opioid addictions can have long-term negative effects on one’s life, and if any of your loved ones have fallen victim to this crisis, then you don’t have to suffer because of malpractice or medical mistake in overprescribing or failing to monitor. It is advised to investigate the parties responsible for the addiction, and that is why you need to hire a legal team to help you deal with any pharmaceutical companies, doctors, or medical staff responsible. Opioid addiction may arise due to medical over-prescriptions when doctors or pharmaceutical companies commit malpractice and/or fraud to increase their sales and fill their pockets.

Our opioid addiction lawyers can help you fight for your life back and get you the compensation you deserve. Moreover, if you are a victim of a car accident due to a person on opioids, you may be entitled to compensation.

When you hire us to handle your lawsuit, you can expect us to take the following steps:

• Document important evidence, including the circumstances of the medical treatment;
• Identify all medical providers and facilities that played a role in the treatment or provided medical oversight;
• Work with the top medical professionals in the country to determine the correct standard of care for each defendant; and
• Keep you informed every step of the way.

Every case receives a dedicated team of experience medical malpractice lawyers and supporting staff who will keep you informed throughout the case.

The Wetherington Law Firm Has Recovered Millions for Victims of Medical Malpractice

Our attorneys are highly skilled in medical malpractice laws, including opioid addiction from negligent medical professionals.  In many cases, settlement is not possible until a judge rules that the proper defendants have been named, the claims asserted are valid, and there is enough evidence to proceed forward to a jury trial.  By that point, it is too late to fix problems in the case.  It is important that you start with an attorney that has the experience and resources necessary to put your case in the best settlement position possible.  If the case cannot settle, you need an attorney that will not settle your case for a low amount because he or she is unprepared or afraid of trial.  Our attorneys have literally spent months in the court room presenting personal injury cases and obtaining record breaking verdicts.  We also have attorneys that have spent years working for defense firms and know the traps that are set by corporations and their insurance companies.

How to Hire the Best Opioid Abuse Lawyers in Atlanta

Hiring an attorney is one of the most important financial decisions you can ever make.  There are a number of attorneys who hold themselves out as “experts” who have never tried a case or even settled a case involving medical malpractice.  It is important that you ask any prospective attorney about his or her experience with medical malpractice lawsuits, specifically with regard to opioid addiction.

Call or email us today for a free consultation.  If we accept your case, it will be on contingency.  That means that you do not pay anything up front and only pay us if we win your case.  If we do not accept your case, we will help you find a lawyer who can.  We generally only accept cases involving significant injuries.  However, we know many good medical malpractice attorneys and will make sure that you do not have to search around for someone to accept your case.