Claims Regarding Psychiatric Medications Can Be Successful

That case involved a man who was given stronger doses of psychiatric medications by a doctor who never really even spent time seeing him.  Instead, it was alleged that he simply wrote prescriptions and then upped the doses when he felt such a step was necessary.  The patient ultimately committed suicide and the family sued.  The jury awarded the family $1.5 million in damages because it decided that the doctor was negligent in providing these medications to the patient without spending an appropriate amount of time with him.

Unfortunately, suicide cases are often extremely difficult to win, as it’s not difficult for the defense in these cases to present a viable argument that the person who committed suicide ought to be accountable for his or her own actions.  It’s difficult to draw the line between taking medication and then committing suicide, particularly for people who may not have a psychological background and therefore may not understand what these drugs can do.

Altering Brain Chemistry

While there are many different medications that have provided fantastic benefits to the people who have needed them for some form of psychological help, the bottom line is that these medications will often alter the chemistry of the brain.  Whenever that happens, the results can be somewhat unpredictable.  That’s why the reasonable medical professional standard should require that doctors who prescribe these medications should also provide vigilant oversight of these patients.  If any changes are noticed, then the medication should be altered.

However, psychiatric medications have been seen by too many people as a panacea that simply works for everyone who uses them.  They have been seen as a breakthrough for the people who have needed help and who have often been unsuccessful in improving their conditions despite months if not years of in-person therapy.  As more and more information is coming out with regards to the potential effects of these medications, it’s becoming more and more clear that they can be dangerous and that they should be prescribed only in a judicious manner.

If you or someone you love has been harmed because you were simply given psychiatric medications without the proper level of medical care to go with them, you need to seek the help of New York medical malpractice lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of patients for more than 40 years.  Contact The Fitzgerald Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.

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