The opioid epidemic in America claimed the lives of more than 33,000 people in 2015. These fatalities were caused by drug overdose involving opioid drugs, which includes prescription opioids (OxyContin, Percocet, etc.), heroin and synthetic opioids like fentanyl. How did we get here? The root of the crisis is rampant over-prescription and dangerous marketing tactics that first arose in the 1990s. In many cases, blame can rightly be placed at the feet of the manufacturers and distributors of these drugs, as well as the doctors who overzealously used them to alleviate patient pain.
The experienced attorneys at Eisbrouch Marsh, LLC are currently reviewing claims related to opioid overdoses, over-prescription and misleading marketing. To learn more, please call us at 201-342-5545. Lawsuits are currently being filed across the country against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid drugs. Municipalities as well as individuals may have claims. Please call our New Jersey and New York City law firm for a free case evaluation.
Tragic Statistics and Alarming Trends
The following information was gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Opioid overdoses – including prescription opioids and heroin – kill 91 people in the U.S. every day
- From 1999 to 2010, the amount of prescription opioids sold to pharmacies, hospitals and doctors' offices quadrupled, but there was no corresponding change in the amount of pain reported by Americans
- Deaths caused by prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999
- From 2007 to 2012, opioid prescribing rates steadily increased among specialists likely to manage acute and chronic pain
Opioids are addictive. The risk of dependence may increase the longer a person uses the prescription drug. While OxyContin or a similar pharmaceutical may be highly effective at relieving short-term pain after a medical emergency, long-term use can lead to addiction. In such a scenario, the person taking the drug may experience painful, excruciating withdrawal symptoms once the prescription runs out. In many cases, these individuals have then illicitly obtained heroin and synthetic opioids in order to ease their withdrawal symptoms. The addiction can spiral out of control, which, tragically, often ends in an overdose death.
Claims Against Manufacturers and Distributors
Eisbrouch Marsh wants to hear from you if you think you may have a claim related to opioid over-prescription, overdose or injury:
Claims from individual consumers.
If you lost a loved one to drug overdose, or if you yourself are dealing with the repercussions of opioid addiction, you may have a claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the medication. As a patient in pain or experiencing a medical problem, you rely on your doctor to provide care while doing no harm. But harm can be done if an addictive opioid medication is prescribed thoughtlessly.
Claims from municipalities.
Cities and towns are at the frontline when it comes to battling opioid misuse. From equipping and training their emergency responders to use Narcon to paying for overdose autopsies, municipalities devote significant resources to battling the opioid crisis.
At our law firm, we have attorneys with extensive experience in municipal and local government law. This type of experience means our lawyers know how to represent municipalities against powerful drug manufacturers and their insurance companies.
Your Free Claim Evaluation
The attorneys at Eisbrouch Marsh are ready to take your call. We want to hear how you have been affected by addictive opioid medications, so that we can determine if we can help you. Please call us now at 201-342-5545. Our law firm proudly fights on behalf of people from Bergen County and Essex County in New Jersey, Long Island, New York City and the surrounding region.
