Newport Beach Opioid Lawyer

Opioids are powerful prescription medications that drug manufacturers marketed as effective treatment options for patients with chronic pain. However, opioids could be extremely addictive, leading to addiction and death in some patients. Patients and their loved ones may be negatively impacted by these drugs, both physically and financially.

An experienced Newport Beach opioid lawyer may be a valuable advocate for those individuals and families affected by these medications. With help from a dangerous drugs attorney, those harmed by opioids may be successful in recovering financial damages to address the financial toll opioid medications wreaked upon them.

Manufacturers and Others May Owe Injured Patients Compensation

Lawsuits filed by plaintiffs affected by opioids typically name the opioid manufacturer as a defendant. Suits such as these might allege that the opioid drug manufacturer failed to notify doctors, pharmacists, and patients about how addictive their drugs were. Manufacturers may also have suppressed information showing that other treatment options could have been safer or more effective for patients.

Doctors and pharmacists who prescribed and dispensed opioid medications to patients may also bear responsibility for patientsā€™ injuries and deaths. A doctor may have prescribed a patient opioids without informing patients of other alternatives. Or a doctor may have authorized multiple refills of opioids without evaluating the patientā€™s continuing need for these medications. Pharmacists, too, may bear some liability if they ignored apparent signs of addiction and continued to refill a patient’s opioid prescriptions anyway.

Plaintiffsā€™ attorneys in Newport Beach may look at the specific facts and circumstances of a client’s case and identify the people or corporations plaintiffs may sue for damages.

Compensation Available to Those Affected by Opioids

Civil lawsuits against manufacturers of opioids and other defendants may enable injured patients or the loved ones of those killed by opioids to recover financial compensation for expenses and injuries related to their use of opioids. This could include monetary damages for:

  • Medical treatment, including ambulance costs and emergency room visits
  • Inpatient and outpatient treatment as well as reintegration services
  • Unearned wages because of missed work due to opioid-related addiction, illness or recovery

If a patient died due to an opioid-related complication or because of an opioid overdose, a surviving spouse or family member might also recover:

  • Funeral expenses and burial or cremation costs
  • Future pay that the decedent would likely have earned had they not died
  • Compensation for the loss of the decedent’s presence

Also, opioid injury plaintiffs may be successful in recovering punitive damages. These damages are generally available where a defendant’s conduct is intentional or particularly unconscionable. A court might assess punitive damages against defendants who exhibited an extreme disregard for the health and safety of others or who concealed vital information from patients.

Opioid injury lawyers in Newport Beach may be available to review the facts of a victimā€™s case, including how opioids impacted the victim and their family. This may enable the attorneys to discuss with a client the extent of harm the client suffered and what compensation the client requires to provide for the client’s short- and long-term needs.

Talk to a Newport Beach Opioid Attorney to Learn More About Your Rights

If opioids have caused harm or loss to you or a family member, contact a knowledgeable Newport Beach opioid lawyer about your rights. You may be successful in recovering monetary compensation through a civil lawsuit. Your lawyer may assist you in understanding your legal rights and what you should do to assert them.