Drug addiction has become a very common occurrence nowadays. Whether it’s nicotine, marijuana, or other substances, many people find themselves dependent on drugs that lead them into addiction. Addiction is a disease, and like most diseases it can be treated through rehabilitation centers and support networks. These rehabilitation centers focus on detoxing patients and helping them get back on their feet when they are at their lowest, leading them to a sober life after addiction that can be more fulfilling. The road to sobriety is not a smooth one, but the role of the treatment center focuses on getting you through the process.
While treatment centers are supposed to guide their patients into sobriety, sometimes they make the situation much worse. At a Northampton County treatment center, a patient with methamphetamines in her system was prescribed and given a dose of Methadone, resulting in an overdose that led to her death. The prescribed dose of Methadone created severe complications because of the drugs already in her system that caused fatal liver and kidney failure, but the overdose was entirely preventable. The patient was not screened for drugs before she was given the dose, and if she was the medical staff wouldn’t have given her the prescribed drug. She already had methamphetamines in her system so when the doctor prescribed and administered the drug, it triggered a reaction leading to her death. The treatment center’s medical staff should have had the understanding that their patients may have drugs in their system, but because they did not screen for methamphetamines, their negligence led to her death.
Bellwoar Kelly, LLP currently represents the patient’s family against the treatment center and recently won a pretrial motion, taking the next step in getting justice. We understand that her death was a result of the staff’s negligence. They should never have administered the Methadone to the patient because of the methamphetamines in her system. If they had screened her before giving her the dose, they would have caught the drugs already in her system and would have never administered the prescribed dose. We know that addiction is a disease and when people need support, they should get the necessary care they need to get back on their feet. This facility did not supply our patient with the necessary care she needed, and it led to her death. People who need help from substance abuse should not fear that the care they receive could cause an overdose, and treatment centers should do everything in their power to help their patients get sober. Unfortunately, their patient did not receive adequate care, and because of the staff’s negligence, she overdosed in the care of the treatment center.
If your loved one passed away in the negligent care of a treatment center, call Bellwoar Kelly, LLP at (610)-314-7066 or click HERE for a free consultation. Professionals treating addiction should always pay attention to their patient, and when they don’t, like in this case, they put patients’ lives at risk that may ultimately end in death. Do not let treatment centers get away with negligence. Call Bellwoar Kelly, where victims fight back.