You may be in a great deal of pain after your incurred injury or illness, so much so that your doctor prescribes you with a serious type or dosage of medication. However, while you may have fully recovered from your injury or illness, you may now be suffering the effects of your prescribed medication. That is, you may now be struggling with a substance abuse issue. If this set of circumstances rings true to you, please follow along to find out whether it is considered to be medical malpractice if your doctor prescribes you addictive drugs and how a proficient New York City medication error attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can help examine the validity of your case.
What are considered to be highly addictive drugs?
Otherwise referred to as controlled substances, highly addictive drugs are considered to be medications that have a high potential for addiction. The most common examples of such medications are opioids, benzodiazepines, and stimulants. These medications are typically prescribed to patients with certain injuries or illnesses that require a comprehensive pain management treatment plan. That is, opioids are usually administered after a serious surgery or a life-altering, life-threatening cancer diagnosis. However, they are only effective when prescribed for the right reasons and taken the right way. Otherwise, patients may still not achieve an improved quality of life, as they may become addicted to their medication soon after.
Is it considered to be medical malpractice for a doctor to prescribe addictive drugs?
Your doctor must do their due diligence in ensuring that prescribing you a medication with a high potential for addiction is in the best interest of your recovery journey. That is, they must confirm that there is not a safer or more reasonable alternative medication or treatment that would offer you the same recovery outcome. This determination must be made after a comprehensive examination, which should consider the following factors:
- A comprehensive examination of your medical history.
- A comprehensive examination of your substance abuse history.
- A comprehensive examination of the symptoms you are experiencing with your injury or illness.
- A comprehensive examination of the seriousness of your medical diagnosis, surgical procedure, etc.
- A comprehensive examination of your progress after your medical diagnosis, surgical procedure, etc.
- A comprehensive examination of your exhibited signs of potential addiction to the prescribed medication.
Ultimately, if you do not believe that your doctor conducted an insufficient examination before prescribing your highly addictive drugs, you may have reason to conclude that they committed medical malpractice. Further, you may have grounds for a lawsuit against them. If you are looking for more clarity on the matter, please allow a talented New York City hospital negligence attorney to offer it to you. Schedule an appointment with Mark L. Bodner, P.C. today.