The opioid addiction crisis is hitting countless Americans across all the country. While the rate of death from opioid overdose is increasing in general, no group has been more affected than young Americans.

In fact, one out of 65 U.S. adults suffered from death from opioid overdose in 2016—but out of young adults between 24 and 35 who died, one out of five suffered death from opioid overdose, per a new research study published in JAMA Network Open. This is a shocking increase, given that in 2001, only four percent of deaths in this age group were attributed to opioids.

“Despite the amount of attention that has been placed on this public health issue, we are increasingly seeing the devastating impact that early loss of life from opioids is having across the United States,” said Dr. Tara Gomes, a scientist and lead author of the study.

“In the absence of a multidisciplinary approach to this issue that combines access to treatment, harm reduction and education, this crisis will impact the U.S. for generations.”

Death from opioid overdose is more common than any other kind of drug overdose, making up a whopping 66 percent of overdose deaths in 2016, and even affecting life expectancy in the U.S., dropping in 2016 for the second year in a row, which had not happened since the 1962 outbreak of influenza.

Death from Opioid Overdose

Opioids are prescribed to treat pain, but they are also extremely addictive because they produce a sense of euphoria. They work by reducing the number of pain signals that the body sends to the brain.

Though opioids are often advertised as being safe and effective painkillers, they are actually in the same class of drugs as heroin. Unfortunately, these drugs can become extremely addictive, extremely quickly.

The opioid epidemic is growing more and more widespread. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 42,000 overdose deaths from opioids in 2016 alone. According to the CDC, prescription opioid deaths have quadrupled since just 1999, a statistic that is tied closely with the increase in sales during that time. Indeed, around 183,000 people have died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2015.

Addiction to opioids isn’t necessarily something that happens from misuse of these drugs—even taking opioids at the direction of one’s doctor can quickly lead to addiction. Opioid abuse can lead to a number of injuries, the most obvious of which is opioid addiction and death from opioid overdose. Other problems include serotonin syndrome, androgen deficiency, adrenal insufficiency, overdose, and even death.

Filing an Opioid Addiction Lawsuit

Lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies over opioid addiction and overdose have been filed from all over the country, including in Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, Chicago, Oregon, California, and Arkansas. A slew of different opioids and their manufacturers and distributors are involved in these lawsuits.

If you or someone you love has suffered from opioid addiction or death from opioid overdose because of a painkiller prescribed by your doctor, you may be able to join the growing number of opioid epidemic lawsuits. While an opioid addiction lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by opioid addiction, or bring a loved one back to life, it can help to alleviate some of the accompanying financial burden.

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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