Millions of people in Ohio and across the country take prescription drugs. There are numerous reasons why a physician might prescribe a specific medication for a patient. When a person suffers drug injuries, it sometimes results in litigation against the pharmaceutical company.
If a pharmaceutical manufacturer fails in its obligation to warn physicians about the potential side effects or dangers of a specific drug, the company may be named as a defendant if a patient suffers injury and files a lawsuit in a civil court. The primary duty of a pharmaceutical company, however, is to the physician, not the patient. Whether an Ohio patient has grounds to sue a drug manufacturer directly depends on the specific facts of a particular case.
Physicians rely on pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide all pertinent information regarding prescription drugs so that they can make informed decisions as to which drugs are safe or, possibly, unsafe for their patients. A drug that is safe for one patient might be potentially lethal for another. The pharmaceutical manufacturer’s primary duty is to the physician, and the physician’s primary duty is to the patient. That is not to say, however, in some circumstances that the pharmaceutical company might not be accused of violating a duty of care to the public.
Drug injuries can be severe, even fatal. Seeking compensation for damages by filing a personal injury claim in a civil court is no small task. In fact, it is often complex and highly stressful. This is one of many reasons that most injured patients rely on experienced legal representation in court.
