There have been four accidental overdose deaths linked to Fentanyl, also known as the Duragesic pain patch, in Hampton Roads in 2009 and 37 deaths in Virginia (VA) overall, according to The Virginian-Pilot. The four wrongful death victims in Hampton Roads include two teenagers in Virginia Beach and a young woman who worked in Chesapeake.
Fentanyl-related deaths continue to increase each year in VA. In 2000, three people died after using Fentanyl, but that number spiked to 68 lives lost in 2008. There is also a knockoff version on the streets which has taken the lives of over 1,000 people nationwide since in 2005.
Our firm is familiar with the tragic consequences of using Fentanyl. We are handling two Fentanyl wrongful death cases where, in both cases, a spouse died of sudden overdose while wearing a prescribed Fentanyl pain patch.
Why is Fentanyl such a dangerous drug? Because it is 100 times more powerful than morphine. The drug was introduced in the 1960s to treat severe pain but it started to be used by people who were suffering only moderate, or even minor, pain and the incredible power of the medication produced terrible results.
In addition to the risk of death, Fentanyl side effects include:
- Severe allergic reactions (e.g. rash, hives, difficulty breathing)
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Slow or irregular heartbeat
- Slowed breathing
- Vision problems
- General weakness
Given these horrific side effects and the disturbingly high number of wrongful deaths due to Fentanyl use, there have been six recalls made by the drug manufacturer Watson Pharmaceuticals since 1994, according to bnet.com.
It makes you wonder why Fentanyl hasn’t already been taken off the market. Given the number of lives lost and injuries suffered, it appears the risks outweigh the benefits.
About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper, Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm (VA-NC law offices ) edits the injury law blogs Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono service to consumers.
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Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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