Prescription Opiate/Painkiller Addiction

Drug Overdoses Claim Tens of Thousands of Lives Every Year

Since prescription painkillers were introduced to patients in the 1990’s, these drugs have seized hold of and destroyed the lives of millions of Americans. While the use of illegal drugs like heroin continues to affect people across the nation, its impact is dwarfed by the use of prescription painkillers like OxyContin, Vicodin, Subsys, etc. According to nationwide studies, prescription opioids killed nearly twice as many people as heroin in the United States in 2014, and those numbers show no sign of dropping off.

Since 1999, the number of overdose deaths caused by these types of drugs has more than quadrupled. Doctors and researchers are still conducting studies looking into this dramatic spike, but they believe that key factors include the aggressive marketing tactics used by pharmaceutical companies, a general acceptance of the use of opioids as treatment for a wider range of ailments, and a drastic increase in the number of opioids prescribed to patients.

Call our firm at (888) 387-4134 to speak with our opiate attorneys today.

Opiate addiction has led to an increase in serious medical conditions like neonatal abstinence syndrome, which affects infants before they are even born. If you suffered from this type of medical condition caused by opiate addiction, our opiate attorneys at the Domina Law Group are ready to help you fight for and secure the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options.

Types Of Opiates

Prescription and illegal opiates come in many forms, including:

  • Opium
  • Heroin
  • Oxycodone (OxyContin, Roxicodone, Oxecta)
  • Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lorcet, Lortab)
  • Morphine (MS Contin, Oramorph SR, Avinza, Arymo ER)
  • Hydromorphone (Dilaudid, Exalgo)
  • Fentanyl (Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Subsys, Abstral, Lazanda)
  • Codeine
  • Methadone (Dolophine, Methadose)
  • Meperidine (Demerol)
  • Oxymorphone (Opana)
  • Tramadol (ConZip, Ultram, Ryzolt)
  • Carfentanil
  • Buprenorphine

Symptoms of Opiate Addiction and Abuse

Opiate addiction can cause serious and potentially life-threatening health effects beyond just the risk of an unintentional overdose, including:

  • A weakened immune system
  • Gastrointestinal issues including bowel perforation, intestinal ileus, constipation, etc.
  • Medical issues stemming from intravenous administration of the drug, including transmission of blood borne illnesses, infection, embolic events, localized abscesses, etc.
  • Serious respiratory depression

If you became addicted to opiates because of a prescription from your doctor, you may be able to take legal action to secure the compensation you need to pay for treatment and other damages like lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. At the Domina Law Group, we have spent more than 60 years collectively working with injured victims throughout the United States, and through our efforts have secured more than $2 billion for our clients.

The Dangers of Prescription Painkillers

The opioid epidemic is one of the fastest growing and most devastating issues affecting people in the United States. Since OxyContin was first introduced to the U.S. in 1994, the number of prescriptions have increased at an exponential rate – in the early 1990’s, the number of prescriptions increased by two to three million each year, but that number jumped up by eight million between 1995 and 1996. Purdue Pharma, the company that manufactures OxyContin, created a promotional video for their drug titled "I Got My Life Back” in 1998.

The year after this video was released, the number of prescriptions increased by approximately 11 million. In response to this staggering increase of opioid use and addictions, numerous research projects have dug into the possible connection between prescriptions and opioid addiction. According to research published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), patients can become depended on prescription painkillers as often as 26 percent of the time.

Find The Right Firm To Represent You

At the Domina Law Group, we understand just how devastating the effects of addiction can be on you, your family, and your loved ones. Our opiate lawyers are working tirelessly to fight for the rights of victims of opiate addiction across the nation, and are ready to use the knowledge and experience we’ve gained over the years to fight for your rights in court to secure the compensation you deserve.

Fill out our online form to set up a meeting with one of our lawyers, or call us at (888) 387-4134 to explain your situation over the phone today.

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