While the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does its best to monitor the manufacture and testing of medications in the United States, people can still be injured by defective or dangerous drugs. Dangerous drugs are those that cause consumers injury. Pharmaceutical companies and others can be liable for harm and damages that patients experience due to unsafe drugs.
If you believe a medication you were taking has caused you injury, you can have your case examined by a New Orleans dangerous drugs lawyer. You might be able to seek compensation for the injuries and damages you suffered. Whether a pharmaceutical company, medical worker, or pharmacist caused you harm, a personal injury claim could be the answer.
What Constitutes a Dangerous Drug?
Many medications have negative side effects, but dangerous drugs are medications that cause unintended harm, negative health risks, or wrongful death. Medications can cause harm in a number of ways.
For example, a medication you are taking could interact badly with another medication you are taking, leading to a negative health incident such as a stroke. Another example is if a drug manufacturing company incorrectly labeled a medication found on store shelves, causing consumers harm.
Sometimes, it can take years for users to notice the harm that a medication has done to them. For instance, years later, it could be discovered that a medication can cause liver disease, heart malfunctions, or other health problems. While these medications might be recalled, they have already done damage to those who used them.
Here are some common ways medications can cause harm to consumers:
- Mislabeled medications
- Medication that has a poor interaction with another medication
- Doctor or healthcare worker provides an incorrect dosage or wrong prescription
- Medication discovered to cause negative health effects
- Doctor fails to read patient’s chart before prescribing medication
- Design defects
- Manufacturing defects
Whether the medication you were taking is over-the-counter or a prescription, you can seek justice for harm you suffered due to dangerous drugs.
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Who Could Be Liable for Dangerous Drugs?
As you can see, a person can be injured due to dangerous drugs in a number of ways. Liability for your damages will depend on who was responsible for the harm you suffered.
For example, if your New Orleans doctor was the one who prescribed a medication that they should have known you were allergic to, then the doctor and healthcare provider could be liable for your injuries and related suffering.
If you were harmed by the drug itself, which is later discovered to have not been properly safety tested, the pharmaceutical company or safety lab could be liable for harming you.
By investigating your health problems and the involved medications, a New Orleans dangerous drugs lawyer can determine what caused your injuries. Then the liable party can be pursued through the legal process of filing an injury claim or lawsuit.
Possible liable parties involving dangerous or defective drugs include:
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Drug manufacturers
- Medical providers (hospitals)
- Healthcare workers including doctors
- Pharmacy staff
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Injuries Caused by Dangerous Drugs
When people are injured due to defective or harmful drugs, their health can be severely impacted. Dangerous drugs can cause a number of issues for victims, such as damage to vital organs, strokes or heart attacks, or failure to treat the illness or health problem the drug was being taken for.
For example, if you were taking a drug intended to treat you for heart disease, you could experience a heart attack if you were given the wrong medication.
For some people, dangerous drugs can permanently impact their health in a negative way. Those who caused such damage to your health could be held accountable for their actions through an injury claim or suit.
Here are a few examples of injuries caused by dangerous, defective, or improperly labeled drugs:
- Heart palpitations
- Stroke
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Internal bleeding
- Infection
- Wrongful death
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Damages in a New Orleans Dangerous Drugs Case
You probably understand that you can seek financial compensation for your injuries and suffering, but you have likely experienced other damages caused by your injuries. For example, if dangerous drugs caused you to suffer a stroke, you could be missing time from work or be unable to work entirely.
Injuries can be permanent, which could mean never being able to return to work again. Treatment of your health issues caused by dangerous drugs can be expensive. Additionally, many people suffer mentally due to their physical injuries and are unable to enjoy their life as they once did.
Damages that could be sought through the personal injury claim process include:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of income
- Lost ability to work
- Mental distress and treatment
- Medical expenses
- Permanent damage to health
- Lost quality of life
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What Does a Dangerous Drugs Attorney Do?
To recover justice and financial compensation for a personal injury caused by dangerous drugs, a personal injury claim or lawsuit will have to be filed. But there’s no reason for you to handle a legal process without help. A New Orleans dangerous drugs lawyer can assist you with the process of pursuing damages for your injuries.
A dangerous drugs lawyer can:
- Investigate your injuries and help you understand your options
- Assist with evidence collection, including interviewing witnesses and looking at similar cases involving the same drug
- Provide legal advice and assistance
- Communicate with insurance companies or other involved parties
- Handle any court proceedings
- Assist with legal documentation and court filings
- Document your damages and help you seek justice
When a lawyer at our firm takes your dangerous drugs case, they can work out a contingency fee arrangement with you. This allows you to pay legal fees only after you’ve won compensation through a settlement or successful lawsuit.
Get in Touch with a Law Firm Near You
Learn more about filing a claim or lawsuit for injuries caused by dangerous drugs. Negligent drug manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers, and medical staff can be held accountable if they hurt you.
Reach out to Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers to learn more about the process of seeking compensation through an injury claim or lawsuit. Don’t delay in reaching out to our firm, as there are legal time limitations that could impact your Louisiana injury case (CC Art. §3492).
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