Prescription drugs are intended to treat and manage medical conditions, and when used as directed, most are safe. Unfortunately, for many people, taking a prescribed medication leads to unexpected side effects, severe complications, or even permanent injury. Often, the harm isn’t caused by the underlying health issue but by negligence from pharmaceutical companies, drug manufacturers, or healthcare providers. This is legally known as a drug injury.
If you’ve suffered due to a prescription drug, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. However, drug injury cases are highly complex, involving powerful drug companies, scientific data, and strict legal requirements. Many victims don’t realize they have legal options or how to pursue them.
Hiring an experienced California drug injury lawyer can make a critical difference. Understanding the types of injuries involved, how these claims work, and what strategies drug companies use to avoid paying is essential. This blog explains what California patients need to know about prescription drug injury settlements and how Howell LLP can help protect your rights and guide you toward justice.
Types of Injuries from Drug Injury
Drug injuries can take many forms, and not all are immediately visible. Some may appear days or weeks after taking the drug, while others might take months or even years to manifest. Regardless of the timeline, the damage from a drug injury can be devastating.
Common Drug-Related Injuries Include:
• Organ failure or damage: Many drugs, especially painkillers, antibiotics, and chemotherapy medications, can damage organs like the liver, kidneys, and heart. One well-known example is the link between acetaminophen and liver toxicity.
• Neurological injuries: Some medications can damage the brain or nervous system, leading to seizures, memory issues, tremors, or neuropathy.
• Internal bleeding: Blood thinners and anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs can cause gastrointestinal or intracranial bleeding.
• Stroke and heart attack: Drugs such as certain diabetes medications and birth control pills have been linked to increased cardiovascular risks.
• Cancer: Several drugs have been pulled from the market due to links with cancers. For instance, ranitidine (Zantac) was associated with potential cancer-causing impurities.
• Birth defects: Certain medications taken during pregnancy can cause deformities or developmental disorders in unborn children.
• Death: Sadly, many drug injuries end in fatal consequences, especially when medications are improperly prescribed or dangerously manufactured, even when covered by prescription drug plans.
Drug Injury Statistics:
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1.3 million people in the U.S. visit emergency rooms each year due to adverse drug reactions.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that over 100,000 deaths occur annually from prescription drug side effects and errors.
• Studies show that prescription drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in the United States when used as directed.
These numbers demonstrate that drug injuries are not rare or incidental—they are a major public health issue.
Howell LLP Knows How to Handle These Cases
We understand that a drug injury can change your life. From physical suffering to mounting medical bills, lost income, and emotional trauma, the effects can be overwhelming. You don’t have to face this battle alone.
Our Firm Offers:
→ Decades of Experience: Throughout California, our legal team has successfully represented clients injured by medications that should have been safe in complicated pharmaceutical injury claims.
→ Reputation for Outcomes: Judges, colleagues, and previous clients have all come to respect Howell LLP. Our meticulous planning, tenacious advocacy, and kind client care are well-known.
→ Clear Communication: We update our clients at every stage. We never keep you in the dark regarding your case because we think informed clients make better choices.
→ Free Consultation: We offer a free consultation to review your situation. You’ll speak with a knowledgeable attorney not a paralegal or assistant and there is no pressure to sign with us.
We will assist you in understanding the legal process, whether you have a valid claim, and what kind of compensation may be available during your appointment. You will be supported from beginning to end by a knowledgeable team if you choose to proceed.
The Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer for Drug-Related Injuries
Since the FDA approved the medication or your doctor prescribed it, you might think that your legal alternatives are limited. It isn’t accurate. Liability is not removed by approval if a pharmaceutical company markets a medicine carelessly or fails to disclose dangers.
Drug injury cases are not ordinary personal injury cases. They often require:
- Expert medical testimony
- Access to confidential industry documents
- Knowledge of FDA regulations
- Understanding of pharmaceutical marketing tactics
- Experience negotiating with billion-dollar corporations
These are not things an average patient can manage alone. A skilled prescription drug injury lawyer will fight to get the full value of your claim, covering medical bills, lost wages, future care costs, pain and suffering, and more.
Additionally, drug injury cases are time-sensitive. California’s statute of limitations generally gives you two years from the date of injury to file a lawsuit. An attorney ensures you don’t miss crucial deadlines or make mistakes that could harm your case.
Strategies Defendants Use to Avoid Paying
Large pharmaceutical companies and their insurers have an arsenal of tactics to avoid paying fair settlements. Without legal representation, you may fall prey to these common strategies:
• Contesting Causation: They will contend that the medicine had no role in your illness or that other circumstances were more important.
• Downplaying the Injury: They can minimize your symptoms or imply that they aren’t as bad as you say.
• Placing the Patient at Fault: Defendants occasionally claim that the harm resulted from abuse or disregard for instructions.
• Quickly Offering Low Settlements: Some businesses attempt to pressure victims into accepting settlements before they fully comprehend the extent of their damage.
• Delaying Tactics: They could drag out the procedure in an attempt to exhaust you or make you make a desperate compromise.
A seasoned law company such as we know as the best prescription drug injury attorney in California, is aware of these strategies and is able to use evidence, legal knowledge, and active bargaining to counter them.
The Long-Term Effects of Drug-Related Injuries
Addiction-related injuries might be irreversible. They frequently have repercussions that go beyond the current medical emergency. Toxic medications might cause liver damage that may never fully heal. It may be difficult to work or take care of oneself if you have neurological problems like tremors or cognitive deterioration. Internal injury-related persistent pain may require surgery, physical rehabilitation, or lifelong medication.
It has a similarly high emotional cost. In particular, when patients’ faith in the medical system is damaged, victims frequently experience worry, despair, and terror. Ongoing treatment or physical handicaps might limit social lives and damage relationships.
A large financial burden is also placed on many victims, including lost wages, costly medical care, and future care requirements. It has a profoundly personal and life-altering effect in addition to being physical.
The Top Three Items to Consider Following a Drug Injury
If you suspect a prescription drug has harmed you, there are three urgent actions you should take:
• Get Medical Help: Seek immediate medical care. Proper documentation of your injuries is essential for both your recovery and your legal claim.
• Save Evidence: Preserve all medication bottles, receipts, and packaging. Obtain your medical records and any notes from your doctor regarding the prescription.
• Call Howell LLP: The sooner we get involved, the better we can protect your rights and build your case. We can guide you on the right steps while you focus on healing.
Frequently Asked Questions About Drug Injury
Q: Can I sue even if the drug was FDA-approved?
FDA approval does not shield drug makers from liability. If a company failed to disclose known risks, marketed the drug for unapproved uses, or made a defective product, they can be held accountable.
Q: How much is a drug injury case worth?
It depends on the severity of your injury, how it has affected your life, and whether the defendant acted with gross negligence. Settlements may cover medical costs, lost income, emotional distress, and more.
Q: How long do I have to file a claim in California?
Generally, two years from the date of injury. However, the clock may start ticking later if the injury was not immediately discoverable. An attorney can clarify the timeline in your case.
Q: Do I need to pay anything upfront to hire Howell LLP?
No. We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Q: What if I signed a waiver at the doctor’s office?
Most waivers do not prevent you from filing a claim against a pharmaceutical company. Always consult a lawyer to understand your actual rights.
Good Results That Howell LLP Has Achieved – Give Us a Call
At Howell LLP, we don’t just talk about results, we deliver them. Our staff has helped several customers throughout California get compensation after they were seriously injured due to using dangerous or inferior medications. Our organization has received millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts from drug damage and pharmaceutical malpractice claims. These results reflect our commitment to justice, legal knowledge, and commitment.
We take pleasure in offering each customer sensitive care, specific focus, and the best advice. When you contact us, you won’t get a sales pitch; instead, you’ll get honest answers from informed people. We will review your case, discuss your legal options, and help you make the best choice for yourself.
We’re here to assist you in starting down the path to justice and healing. Contact Howell LLP today and get the support, skill, and strength your case deserves.
