3 Common Causes of Drug Injury
When you seek treatment from a medical professional, the last thing you’d ever expect is for your health to get worse. Unfortunately, drug injuries happen far more often than it should. You’re entitled to compensation if you’ve suffered any kind of temporary or permanent damage as a result of an over-the-counter or prescription drugs.
The first thing you should do is seek medical help immediately if you are, or you think you are suffering from a drug injury. Side effects can quickly worsen and become life-threatening. The most important thing to remember is that you should never stop taking medication without a doctor’s assistance. Because of the complexity of the human body, there are dozens of ways drugs can cause injuries through both proper and improper use. Here are some of the most common:
Going Cold Turkey
If you’re using anti-depressant medications like Paxil, stopping abruptly may cause serious chemical imbalance, impaired vision, and possible permanent psychological damage. Even in the worst scenarios, a doctor must advise you on how to wean off of a medication gradually to avoid further damage.
Side effects
Another thing you can do to shield yourself from drug injury is to consult with a physician or pharmacist about possible side effects of a medication, drug interaction, and reaction to a pre-existing condition like heart problems before you start taking any medication. You should also take the time to read the instructions on how to take the medication and the side effects which are listed on the label, pamphlet or packaging.
Long Term Use
Drugs can be prescribed to patients who suffer from long-term illnesses like Diabetes, Arthritis, or Cancer. The problem is that with long term use certain medications can cause fatal health problems like heart failure or strokes. Some medications used to treat certain hereditary skin diseases, like Darier’s Disease, can over time potentially damage the kidneys, liver and even produce Pancreatic Cancer. Antibiotics are sometimes incorrectly prescribed to treat illnesses that can’t be treated with antibiotics, like viral infections. In this case, the antibiotics weaken the immune system, creating a more serious health concern. Long term antidepressant use has been linked to respiratory problems and birth defects. Even something as simple as birth control pills can increase the risk of breast cancer in women. Painkillers can produce addiction over time as the body becomes more tolerant to the drug. Patients prescribed painkillers eventually begin taking higher doses, until, in some cases, they die of a drug overdose.
Additionally, if a drug manufacturing company has failed to test the marketed drug thoroughly or provide the warnings on the labels accurately, a drug injury attorney can find them liable for the injuries you’ve suffered.
In some cases, others may have suffered the same drug related injuries as you. If that’s the case, you need to consult with your lawyer. It’s possible that there may have been a class action suit already filed. In which case, your attorney can add your name to the list of those who have filed suit to get the necessary compensation. Plus, the more people come forward complaining about pain and suffering by a prescription or over-the-counter drug, the chances to win the case in your favor increases.
Over-the-counter and prescription drugs are suppose to make you feel better and cure, or at the very least, control an illness, not make things worse. If the drug company or medical professional is at fault for the damage a medication has produced, they’re responsible and they should pay.
Finding a Person Injury Lawyer in Columbus, OH
Being in an accident is traumatic enough without having the deal with the additional stress that can result. When considering the cost of medical expenses and potential time off work you could be in for a huge mental, physical and financial nightmare. You can spare yourself the trauma by consulting with a personal injury attorney.
Choosing the right attorney isn’t always easy. For one thing, there are many things that could sway you to choose the wrong legal representation. The most common mistake people make is choosing an attorney based on a commercial alone. A television ad is meant to convince you that the attorney or law firm is the best in the State. Usually, they’ll pick a good looking actor or actress who will play on your sympathy chords during the commercial.
If you’re searching the yellow pages or going online, you’ll find that there are several hundred lawyers to choose from. You can narrow your search by looking for one that specializes in personal injury cases. Then go a step further and see which personal injury attorney has dealt with cases similar to yours.
Don’t be afraid to ask other lawyers you’ve dealt with in the past for recommendations on a good personal injury attorney. You may even ask your insurance company for the name and number of a couple of good personal injury lawyers. Ask friends and family as well as they may have had a personal experience with an injury case and can refer a lawyer to you.
Make a list of potential attorneys that appeal to you and request an audience with them. It doesn’t cost you anything to get a consultation. Plus, you get to ask important questions such as how much trial experience they have and how many personal injury cases they’ve won.
A personal injury lawyer should be familiar with all of the local and state laws. Since personal injury laws vary from state to state, you should pick a lawyer that is specific to your home state because they’ll know which laws can provide you with more rights and ultimately, more compensation for your injuries.
It’s not always about education. A personal injury attorney could have graduated from Harvard Law School but have little to no experience in a courtroom. Check their record for case successes and failures.
A good personal injury attorney will be able to look at the circumstances behind your accident and injuries and tell you whether you have a strong case. Using an attorney can spare you from dealing with additional headaches and stress brought on by paperwork and medical bills so that you can focus more on recovering from the physical and emotional trauma of your personal injury.
