Opioid Litigation Lawyers in Michigan
Fighting Back Against the Opioid Epidemic in the United States
Between the years spanning from 2000 to 2015, it’s estimated that over 500,000 people died due to opioid-related drug overdoses in the United States, or approximately 91 deaths every single day. As the opioid crisis has continued to wage on, drug overdose deaths are now a leading cause of mortality in this country – and many individuals, counties, and states have since taken legal action against the large pharmaceutical manufacturers who created the crisis in the first place.
At Grewal Law PLLC, our Michigan opioid litigation attorneys are committed to holding Big Pharma accountable for its role in the opioid epidemic. By going up against the largest manufacturers and sellers of opioids for their deceptive marketing practices, victims of this scheme may be able to find justice in the wake of their tremendous physical, emotional, and financial losses.
The Michigan opioid litigation team at Grewal Law PLLC is committed to taking on Big Pharma. If you were harmed as a result of the opioid epidemic, contact us at (888) 211-5798 today for a free consultation.
Understanding Big Pharma’s Role in the Opioid Crisis
For decades, companies like Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, and many others insisted that opioids could serve as a safe and non-addictive treatment for a variety of illnesses and chronic pains.
Creating a fraudulent marketing scheme, these pharmaceutical companies hid the fact that OxyContin and other opioids are actually highly habit-forming and create a tolerance over time, making them ineffective for treating chronic pain. According to an investigation performed by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the industry collectively paid millions to third-party advocacy groups in order to market these products.
By incentivizing doctors to sell opioid medications to patients, Big Pharma profited off the inherently addictive characteristics of these compounds. Additionally, there’s evidence that these companies intentionally tried to mislead physicians, as before the marketing push in the late 1990s and 2000s, opioids were primarily used for short-term acute injuries and surgical procedures, as well as palliative care and end-of-life needs.
How Opioids Affect Patients
The opioid crisis is considered a national public health emergency, and with good reason. Once prescribed drugs in the opiate family, such as morphine and oxycodone, patients tend to develop a high tolerance for their euphoric and pain-calming effects, prompting them to seek stronger prescriptions or even illegal drugs in many cases. It’s no coincidence that use of fentanyl – a synthetic opioid pain reliever that is 50 times stronger than morphine – has sharply increased since 2012.
Commonly prescribed opioids included:
- Codeine
- Morphine
- Oxycodone (OxyContin and Percoset)
- Demerol
- Vicodin
- Methadone
Seek Effective and Reliable Representation for Opioid Injuries
At Grewal Law PLLC, our attorneys have been serving injury victims across Michigan since 1951, and we are passionate advocates for the rights of consumers. With an extensive track record in complex civil litigation, our personal injury team has shown that our experience and skill can make a significant difference in high-stakes cases – including in opioid litigation.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact the opioid litigation attorneys of Grewal Law PLLC at (888) 211-5798 today or contact us online. We would be happy to present at local, county, and state government meetings and assist those fighting the opioid epidemic.
