Many people have been personally touched by the opioid epidemic in one way or another, having known someone who died from opioid overdose. According to a recent study carried out in part by the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, a large proportion of Americans under age 50 have died from opioid overdose.

Drug overdose is now a leading cause of fatalities for Americans under age 50. In Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky, those people who have died from opioid overdose are a greater proportion of fatalities when compared with the national average.

Recent data shows that both the demand and supply dynamics of the opioid epidemic could be important for developing policy responses to curb the related problems.

Users of opioids might become addicted after getting a prescription for what was an initially legitimate cause, but the epidemic has spread so quickly that many people are taking and seeking opioids outside of legitimate or prescribed uses.

Two different surveys were conducted by the Cleveland Fed, finding that many people across the region and the country have been affected by someone who died from opioid overdose. Individuals, families, community development stakeholders and businesses have all been affected by the opioid epidemic, and many have some form of personal connection to a person who died from opioid overdose.

The research also suggests that counties in the United States that have higher levels of opioid prescriptions between 2006 and 2016 also have much lower labor force participation rates for those in the prime ages of working. The research suggests that opioid abuse is not impacted by labor market shocks in the short term, but poor labor market outcomes are highly connected to prescription opioid availability.

A growing number of communities and individuals have begun considering their options to file lawsuits related to opioid overdoses. Opioid overdoses have increased across the United States, and many people believe that this is an epidemic that will continue to wreak havoc on communities and families.

Most people who have been touched by the opioid epidemic will recognize the devastating powers of addiction. Some have gone even further to file lawsuits against the manufacturers of these drugs, accusing the manufacturers of overly marketing and promoting these medications as safe ways to treat chronic pain.

The high rate of addiction associated with opioids is particularly problematic in certain regions across the country. Still, the opioid epidemic does have far reaching consequences for the entire nation. If someone close to you died from opioid overdose, you may qualify to participate in a class action investigation regarding lawsuits filed against manufacturers of the opioid medications who are accused of overly promoting these drugs and failing to warn the community and possible users about the high risk of addiction.

In general, opioid overdose death lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.

If your loved died from an opioid overdose in the last three years from an addiction that began as a legal opioid prescription from his or her doctor, you may have a legal claim. Get help now by filling out the form on this page for a FREE case evaluation.

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