Wake Forest Dangerous Drugs Lawyer
Medications are meant to protect and improve your health, but in certain cases you may end up taking a dangerous drug that does just the opposite. When drug companies may improperly market their products or fail to test medications appropriately and patients suffer harm from these products, those manufacturers should be held liable.
A Wake Forest dangerous drugs lawyer could help if you were injured due to a medication that was not properly labeled or tested, or if you suffered from another defect. You may be entitled to compensation to offset the effects of a dangerous medication. To find out more, contact a skilled injury attorney familiar with drug litigation for help evaluating your options for recovery.
Why Are Some Drugs Considered Dangerous?
Drug manufacturing is a big business. Pharmaceutical companies often market vast quantities of medications, and like all businesses, they operate to earn a profit for shareholders. Unfortunately, if they are making money from a particular medication and learn of potential problems with that medication, they may not be in any rush to investigate.
Some factors that can contribute to dangerous drugs include:
- Formulations that produce dangerous side effects
- Small testing samples or testing of short duration
- Testing errors
- Contamination in a drug batch
- Labeling mistakes
- Vital information withheld from consumers
The party at fault for a dangerous drug could be the manufacturer, a lab that was hired to test the products, or the company that packaged the products. Even a seller may be held liable in some situations. An experienced Wake Forest dangerous drugs attorney could investigate the circumstances to determine the liable party or parties in a particular situation.
Patients’ Rights with Dangerous Medications
Patients who suffer harm due to dangerous drugs have the right to file a civil lawsuit and pursue damages from the company or companies responsible, regardless of whether the medications are prescription or over-the-counter. In addition, those who suffer harm due to defective medical devices may also seek recovery.
Depending on the situation, a case may be based on negligence in manufacturing, design, labeling, lack of proper warnings, or strict liability for harm caused. A dangerous drugs lawyer in Wake Forest could help collect evidence to support the appropriate type of claim. If strict liability applies, it may not even be necessary to show that the manufacturer was negligent.
What is the Statute of Limitations for Dangerous Drugs?
State law limits the amount of time granted to injured patients to file a lawsuit seeking compensation for harm caused by dangerous drugs. Specifically, under North Carolina General Statutes §1-52, claims must be filed within three years.
However, the statute specifies that the cause of action does not “accrue”—meaning that the clock does not start to run—until the harm becomes apparent or should become apparent to the patient. Therefore, if it takes some time for the patient to reasonably discover the harm done to them, the claim may not be barred by the statute of limitations unless ten or more years have passed.
Get in Touch with a Wake Forest Dangerous Drugs Attorney
If you believe a defective or otherwise dangerous drug caused an injury, it may be wise to consult a knowledgeable Wake Forest dangerous drugs lawyer sooner rather than later. A dedicated attorney could help you protect your rights and collect and preserve evidence to support your claim.
You may be entitled to compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other consequences. For a free case evaluation, call now.
