A number of different studies have explored the impact of opioid overdose death rates around the country, indicating a serious opioid epidemic around the entire nation. One recent opioid overdose death count indicated 53 local deaths that occurred in the last six years in Henry County, Va.

The opioid overdose death count was tallied between 2011 and 2016, identifying that six of the fatalities were associated with heroin or fentanyl overdoses and the remaining 38 were associated with prescription opioid overdoses. The opioid overdose death count was gathered as a result of data collected by the Virginia Department of Health.

According to an article in the Martinsville Bulletin, five deaths were associated with prescription opioid overdoses, and four deaths were tied to heroin or fentanyl overdoses, in comparison with the broader Henry County statistics.

Sadly, Martinsville and Henry County mirror the experiences of other localities across the country. The number of opioid overdose deaths has been rising significantly in the last few years, prompting some to refer to this problem as an epidemic. Many localities and even state attorneys general have reported problems in trying to get resources to handle these impacts quickly enough to curb the problem. Opioid abuse is one of the fastest-growing issues being experienced by urban and rural communities alike.

According to the information from the U.S. Surgeon General’s Office, opioids are a class of medication such as hydrocodone, oxycodone and methadone, which are prescribed to treat pain. This group of drugs also includes illegal medications such as heroin.

Many officials and safety advocates argue that these numbers indicating a spike in significant local impact for the opioid overdose death rates should prompt further involvement by lawmakers. Some people have already come forward to file lawsuits against opioids manufacturers, arguing that those manufacturers knew about the serious risks of addiction and overdose and failed to warn communities about them.

When a person misuses opioid medications, that individual can become addicted in just three days, which sets them up for using synthetic opioid drugs that can be lethal upon the very first use.

In order to cut down on the number of opioid overdoses in future years, several important safety tips should be implemented. First of all, patients prescribed opioid drugs are asked not to share that with anyone else. This can lead to serious complications and this is illegal. Permanent take-back boxes may be the only appropriate way to dispose of an opioid drug that patients no longer need.

Many people in recent years have become seriously addicted to opioid medications and many have even suffered fatal consequences in the form of an overdose. If you or someone you know has been significantly affected by opioid overdose or addiction, you may be eligible to participate in a class action investigation. Several lawsuits have already been filed against manufacturers of opioid medications, alleging that these manufacturers are responsible for the serious costs and overdose numbers affecting local communities.

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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