3 Ways Your Doctor Might Be Responsible For Your Addiction To Prescription Pain Meds
For those whose thoughts are fogged by a prescription pain killer addiction, it can be difficult to understand what circumstances lead to their suffering. Oftentimes addicts blame their own lack of willpower for their chemical dependency, when in reality they've been set up for failure by a negligent doctor. If your life is currently affected by an addiction to pain medication that you were legally prescribed, read on to learn 3 ways your doctor might be at fault for your suffering.
Your Doctor Never Warned You About The Risk Of Addiction
Before prescribing a pain medication known to be addictive, your doctor must inform you of the risk of addiction, as well as explain how you can limit your risk of becoming addicted. Most physicians provide their patients with a narcotic contract to take care of this duty.
A narcotic contract clearly states the possibility of addiction for the prescribed drug. It also defines certain terms that the patient must abide by if they choose to take an addictive pain medicine to treat their chronic pain. Such terms include not seeking pain medication from any other doctor, taking the medication only as directed, and agreeing to periodic drug tests to confirm that the prescribed drug is not being taken in excess or combined with other non-prescribed drugs.
Studies show that when patients signed narcotics contracts before beginning treatment involving addictive pain medications, over 60 percent adhered to the stipulations outlined in them.
If you never signed a narcotic contract, and you have no recollection of your doctor going over the risks of the prescription pain medicine you're addicted to or how to prevent them, then your doctor acted in negligence, and you can likely sue them for the pain and suffering your addiction has caused you.
Your Doctor Ignored Your History Of Addiction
Just because you signed a narcotics contract with your doctor, however, does not necessarily mean that they are exempt from negligence in your case. If your doctor knows that you have a history of narcotic abuse, it's their responsibility to do everything they can to provide you with a method of pain relief that will not rekindle your former addiction.
If, at the time you were prescribed the drug you're currently addicted to, your medical records showed clear indication that you doctor shopped, mixed prescription pain medicine with other drugs or alcohol, overdosed, or otherwise abused addictive pain medication in the past, your doctor should have referred you to a pain management specialist who could work with you in developing a non-addictive approach to dealing with your pain.
If your doctor knew that you had a history of addiction and prescribed you an opiate or narcotic-based pain medication, then they acted negligently and you likely have a case of medical malpractice against them.
Your Doctor Based Your Treatment On What Was Best For Them
Each year, major pharmaceutical companies and medical device companies pay doctors billions of dollars to research, speak about, and promote various medications. While these doctors are supposed to determine your treatment based entirely on what is best for your individual circumstance, there is some worry that they're swayed to base your treatment on what drug manufacturer is paying them the most.
There is a chance that the injury or illness that began you on the path to prescription pain med addiction could have been treated with non-drug therapy, but because your doctor wanted to boost the output of a pain med they were being paid to promote, you were prescribed an addictive medication instead.
Check out the dollars for docs website to see if your physician has received compensation to promote the drug you're addicted to. If they have, it's time to talk to a personal injury lawyer.
Every single day, approximately 6,600 people start taking prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. Many of these addictions start when individuals are prescribed narcotic or opiate-based drugs that they don't really need. If you're doctor prescribed you pain killers and you're now addicted to them, it's time to talk to a personal injury lawyer to determine whether or not your chemical dependency is the result of a physician acting in negligence.
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