Lake Forest Opioid Lawyer

The nation’s opioid epidemic is impacting communities across the United States, including the community of Lake Forest. Doctors and pain management clinics prescribe opioid drugs such as Oxycodone, codeine, and Vicodin to patients which chronic pain. Through ignorance or design, many patients were not made aware of the addictive nature of these drugs or how they could lead to death.

A qualified Lake Forest opioid lawyer might be able to assist you and your family if opioids have caused you injury or loss. You may have a claim through which you might recover financial damages to address medical, rehabilitative, and other costs related to your or your loved one’s opioid addiction. Connect with an attorney today.

Essential Elements of an Opioid Injury Lawsuit

An opioid injury lawsuit alleges that one or more defendants committed one or more careless, reckless, or intentional acts and that such acts caused injury to the plaintiff. A plaintiff who is able to prove a causal connection between a defendant’s actions and their injuries may recover compensation from the defendant.

Drug manufacturers, doctors, and others in the healthcare industry may all have committed careless or intentional acts that contributed to a plaintiff’s opioid injuries, such as:

  • Failing to warn patients about opioids’ side effects
  • Encouraging doctors to prescribe opioid medications to patients
  • Not exploring other, less dangerous treatment options
  • Continuing to write or fill prescriptions despite signs that a patient is addicted

So long as the plaintiff is able to show that the defendants’ conduct caused or contributed to the plaintiff’s injuries or harm, courts may permit the plaintiff to recover financial damages. While a Lake Forest injury lawyer cannot guarantee a positive outcome, they could help victims gather evidence, documents, and locate witnesses who might assist in achieving a positive outcome.

Recoverable Compensation in an Opioid Lawsuit

The compensation available to people negatively impacted by opioid drugs may encompass both current and future expenses, pain, and other losses the person might experience. These expenses and damages might include:

  • Emergency room visits or hospitalizations due to overdoses or complications
  • Addiction and reintegration treatment
  • Wages the person could have earned had they not needed to miss work for treatment and recovery
  • Medications or other therapeutic services

If the opioid user has died, their surviving family members may also recover monetary damages to address:

  • Costs related to the decedent’s funeral, burial, and final disposition
  • Any medical services rendered to the decedent before they died
  • Wages the decedent might have earned if they had not died
  • Family members’ grief at losing the decedent’s presence and companionship

In addition to these compensatory damages, both injured plaintiffs and surviving family members of a decedent may qualify to receive punitive damages. These damages are punitive, designed to punish a defendant for harmful behavior that is especially appalling or shocking.

Plaintiffs may be well-served by consulting with an experienced injury lawyer from Lake Forest before taking any legal action. An attorney may work with plaintiffs to ensure they are pursuing an appropriate amount of compensation and that they are bringing suit against all responsible defendants.

When to Contact a Lake Forest Opioid Attorney for Help

If a doctor or pharmacist prescribed you or your loved ones opioid medications, or if you took opioids and injury or death ensued, you may have legal rights to compensation. Work with an experienced Lake Forest opioid lawyer, who may help you uncover negligent, reckless, or intentional conduct that contributed to your injuries. A lawyer might also assist you in recovering the financial damages to which you are legally entitled. Reach out today.