San Juan Capistrano Opioid Lawyer

Individuals in San Juan Capistrano who take opioid prescriptions for chronic pain or other conditions may be at risk of severe complications. Opioid medications are highly addictive, and long-term use or overdoses from them could lead to death. People may have received prescriptions for opioids without genuinely understanding the risks of these drugs.

An experienced San Juan Capistrano opioid lawyer could work to assist individuals and families who may have experienced injuries or losses. These injured plaintiffs may be successful in recovering compensation for the harm that opioids have caused to them. Reach out to a personal injury attorney today.

Compensable Injuries Opioid Users Might Suffer

Mild side effects of opioids can include nausea and vomiting, as well as constipation. Of more significant concern, however, is the risk of physical dependence on these drugs. People prescribed opioids may become addicted to them and require greater and greater quantities of the medicines to experience the same effects.

How opioid users may experience harm include:

  • Requiring additional medical treatment for any underlying condition
  • Needing rehabilitation services and substance abuse resources
  • Missing work because of ineffective pain management, doctors’ appointments, or rehabilitation stays
  • Being unable to join in family activities or participate in hobbies due to opioid-related complications

In the worst of circumstances, people succumb to opioid use and die. If this occurs, the surviving family of the decedent may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Such a lawsuit may provide the decedent’s family with additional compensation like:

  • Costs associated with the decedent’s funeral, burial, cremation, or other disposition
  • Wages the decedent might have earned and used to support their family
  • Losing the decedent’s companionship and participation as a family member

San Juan Capistrano attorneys representing opioid plaintiffs may work with injured parties to help them understand the extent of the harm they have suffered. Attorneys might also help plaintiffs file a lawsuit to obtain such compensation.

Potential Defendants in a San Juan Capistrano Opioid Case

Defendants in lawsuits are those individuals or entities who committed an unreasonable or harmful act that hurt the plaintiff. If the plaintiff would not have suffered an injury but for the defendant’s actions, then that defendant may be responsible for paying compensation to the plaintiff.

There are several potential defendants in any opioid case. The medicine’s manufacturer may have failed to tell doctors and others about the dangerous, addictive qualities of the medicine. Worse, the manufacturer may have paid incentives to doctors or pharmacists to encourage them to write and fill prescriptions for their opioid drugs. These and other decisions made by opioid manufacturers may result in a plaintiff receiving compensation through their lawsuit.

Also, doctors or pharmacists who enabled or encouraged a person’s addiction to opioids may find a court orders them to pay compensation to the plaintiff. Doctors who did not evaluate a person’s continuing need for opioids or a pharmacist who refilled prescriptions for opioids and did not consider whether the person was seeking refills too often may both be responsible for compensating the plaintiff.

Contact a San Juan Capistrano Opioid Attorney

When opioid drugs have harmed you or your loved one, reach out to speak with a San Juan Capistrano opioid lawyer. Your attorney may evaluate your case to determine if a lawsuit is viable. If so, your attorney might help you take the necessary steps to succeed in your case.