Columbia, MO. Dangerous Drugs Lawyer
There are thousands of prescription medications and treatments available for all kinds of ailments. Although some drugs are beneficial, other prescriptions can cause terrible, or even fatal, side effects in some patients. While drug manufacturers are supposed to conduct adequate trials and testing on their products before releasing them to the public, not all do so.
Taking dangerous drugs can be harmful to your overall health and well-being, and, in more serious cases, can even lead to death. If your loved one has passed away due to a dangerous drug, you could file a wrongful death lawsuit against the healthcare provider responsible.
A Columbia dangerous drugs lawyer can step in to advocate for you or your loved one if a prescription medication caused you to experience a severe complication or side effect. With the help of a hardworking attorney, you might be able to secure a financial judgment in your favor if the drug’s manufacturer did not take reasonable steps to make the drug at issue as safe as possible. For more information, be sure to schedule a consultation today.
What Responsibility Do Drug Manufacturers Owe to Patients?
Drug manufacturers owe specific responsibilities to the patients who might ultimately use their products. Chief among these responsibilities is to refrain from knowingly selling or marketing an unsafe drug. Fulfilling this responsibility generally requires manufacturers to conduct trials and studies to ensure the medication possesses the advertised therapeutic benefit.
There are other obligations that drug manufacturers must fulfill as well, including:
- Informing consumers of all known or reasonably ascertainable side effects
- Educating patients and medical professionals about how the patient should take the medicine
- Advising consumers if the Food and Drug Administration has not approved the medication
- Taking reasonable measures to alert the public and recall a drug that is later determined to have unintended side effects
Drug manufacturers’ actions in testing, marketing, and recalling drugs must be reasonable under the circumstances. Manufacturers who attempt to hide negative information about their products or which unreasonably rush a medicine to market may be responsible for damages if those medicines end up causing injuries and complications.
Who Could Be Held Responsible for a Drug-Related Injury?
In addition to the drug manufacturer, doctors and pharmacists may also be liable. If these professionals know of a drug’s dangerous properties but prescribe the medication anyway may also be responsible for paying damages to the patient in the event of an injury. Liability is especially likely to attach where these medical professionals do not consider other, less-risky medications or who otherwise do not make an informed decision to prescribe the drug to the patient.
Recoverable Damages in a Dangerous Drugs Case
Patients may experience any number of painful injuries or complications as a result of a harmful drug. These can include:
- Needing additional medical treatment or emergency room care
- Requiring other, different medications
- To treat the underlying condition or manage lingering side effects from the harmful drug
- Experiencing further pain, discomfort, and suffering
- Missing work because of medical appointments and recovery time
Patients hurt by a drug with bad qualities may be eligible to file a claim for compensation against the manufacturer and any others whose unreasonable decisions contributed to the patients’ injuries.
If they are successful in their lawsuits, patients will receive a monetary compensation award. This would direct the defendants in the case to pay to the patients a sum of money as compensation for the patients’ past and anticipated future expenses.
Talk with a Columbia, MO. Dangerous Drug Attorney About Your Case
Assistance from a Columbia dangerous drugs lawyer is often needed in these cases as the evidence is often complicated and difficult to digest. Your attorney can review your specific circumstances and advise you about your legal rights, including your ability to pursue a claim for compensation. If you believe a prescription medication or treatment caused you to experience medical complications or other injuries, seek out qualified and knowledgeable legal help right away.