Millions of Americans take prescription and over-the-counter medications every day, and most of the time they are safe to use. Unfortunately, in the past couple of decades alone, dozens of different medicines and medical products have been found to have dangerous or even deadly unlisted side effects.
Whether the drug you took was inherently dangerous, not produced correctly, or simply did not have all of its possible side effects advertised, you should strongly consider speaking with a trustworthy injury attorney. A Chardon dangerous drugs lawyer could go over your legal options and help determine whether filing suit may be in your best interest.
Proving Liability for a Harmful or Defective Drug
Just because a medication has potentially dangerous side effects does not necessarily mean it is a “dangerous drug” in the context of civil litigation. In order to have valid grounds for a case, a plaintiff must be able to show that the drug they took was defective in some way based on a preponderance of the evidence.
There are a number of different ways a drug could be defective. In some cases, a substance is dangerous because it was manufactured improperly in a factory or compounded incorrectly at a pharmacy. Other harmful medication cases arise from patients being harmed by unlisted side effects or contradictions of a medication they took, which the manufacturer either did not know about or intentionally hid from consumers.
In either scenario, a drug manufacturer may be held liable for any damages a patient suffers as a result of their reckless, careless, or intentional failure to provide a reasonably safe product for consumers. An attorney could provide customized guidance to a plaintiff in Chardon about how they could prove liability and seek compensation for the losses they suffered after using a defective medication.
Pursuing Compensation for Medication-Related Losses
Depending on the circumstances, a person filing suit over harm caused by a dangerous drug may opt to pursue their claim alone or join a mass tort case with other plaintiffs who suffered similar injuries. Regardless of the method, a successful lawsuit could allow a plaintiff to recover compensation for a variety of economic and non-economic damages.
In addition to losses like medical expenses and physical pain and suffering, a person who was injured by a defective medication may also be eligible to receive punitive damages from a company that knowingly took measures to hide the dangers of their product from the public. A dedicated lawyer in Chardon could clarify what types of recovery may be available in a harmful drug case and work tirelessly to pursue compensation on a plaintiff’s behalf.
Speak with a Chardon Dangerous Drugs Attorney Today
A defect in any type of consumer product can have disastrous consequences but defective medications often have especially debilitating outcomes. If you were injured by a drug that you were led to believe was safe, you may have grounds to seek significant financial recovery from the manufacturer responsible for putting that drug on the market.
However, cases against massive pharmaceutical companies tend to be immensely complex compared to other kinds of personal injury litigation. Seeking experienced legal help is essential if you want to maximize your chances of success. Call a Chardon dangerous drugs lawyer to schedule a consultation and get started on your potential case.
