Drug Deaths Now Higher Than Car Crash Deaths

Intentional and accidental prescription drug overdoses have exceeded the number of deaths caused by car accidents, according to a recent WebMD article citing 2008 statistics.

Medical Error

Prescriptions for pain killers have not doubled over the past decade, they have tripled. With more prescriptions being filled there are higher risks of hospital error, doctors prescribing fatal combinations of drugs, pharmacists negligently completing the wrong prescription or writing the wrong instructions. Doctors may also forget to warn patients of the dangers associated with drinking alcohol or the side effects of the drug they’re taking.

Medical Negligence NC

It may not always be medical negligence that causes a patient’s injuries or death. With so many drugs being prescribed, most households have leftover pills. Someone else in the home may accidentally—or intentionally—use the medication. When prescription injuries or death are a doctor or healthcare provider’s fault, the patient and their family are entitled to compensation for the medical negligence that caused their condition.

Medical Malpractice Attorneys Raleigh

Prescription drug negligence means doctors, nurses or healthcare providers have failed to provide the “standard of care” required for patient safety. Forty people die everyday because of prescription painkiller overdoses, according to the Center for Disease Control. How are families compensated if they lose a loved one to medical negligence? There are statutes of limitations depending on the type of lawsuit you file or are eligible to file. Medical malpractice attorneys in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Dunn with Brent Adams & Associates will review your case and explain how North Carolina’s medical malpractice laws affect your injury claim and compensation.