Reporter Interviews Richard N. Shapiro and a Firm Client on Accidental Deaths Caused by Fentanyl Pain Patches

North Carolina (NC) Dangerous Drug Injury Lawyers
Attorneys Licensed in NC and South Carolina (SC) with Office in Elizabeth City, NC

Our firm has written serval articles on incredibly dangerous and lethal prescription pain patches that deliver fentanyl. These painkillers, sold under the brand name Duragesic (Ortho-McNeil) are causing a shockingly high number of accidental deaths.

We have also written to the commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asking for immediate action to control the handling of prescription fentanyl pain patches. In addition, our injury law firm is assisting two families whose loved ones died due to fentanyl overdoses.

In one case, we have sued the physician who needlessly prescribed fentanyl patches along with other stong medications. The drugs lead to the patient's accidental death.

Now, an ABC television affiliate based in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (NC) has aired an investigative story on the national epidemic of accidental fentanyl overdose deaths. My law partner Rick Shapiro was interviewed for that story, as was our client, Charlotte resident Shawn Titta.

Titta's 34-year-old wife died suddenly after accidentally overdosing on her fentanyl prescription. She was instructed to use pain patches after being released from the hospital and told to apply a new patch every three days.

Big problem; Patient disorientation is a known side effect of fentanyl use. Tara Titta applied a second patch before waiting a full three days ad did not wake up the next morning. She accidentally overdosed and was alone in her home at the time of her death.

Here is a video of the fentanyl news report:

As the WTVD-Newss 11 investigation reveals, fentanyl is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine -- and morphine is a pretty strong narcotic pain medication. Fentanyl is used in hospitals every day but the application of the pain patch is reserved to the anesthesiologists and medical professionals, not the patient.

Therein lies the problem. Fentanyl is too powerful a drug to be prescribed so wantonly. It is killing patients who may be too disoriented to fully understand when and where to apply a new patch.

To learn more about dangerous drug and product recall cases, check out these other articles:

The FDA needs to rein in fentanyl prescribing by doctors, who are being pushed by the pharmaceutical companies making the pain patches. That will be a challenge, though, since the patches earn drugmakers billions (not millions) in profits every year. The more money is at stake, the harder it is for the FDA to get the problem fixed.

However, this problem will be fought in court through wrongful death settlements and verdicts. Eventually, we hope to see a tightening of who gets prescribed fentanyl pain patches and hope the overprescribing and unsafe use of the products become limited to prescriptions for those who truly need that level of pain medication. Appropriate fentanyl patients include cancer patients and the terminally ill, not people who have low back pain or aches that can be controlled with less-potent medications.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton is a law firm whose attorneys focus on injury and accident law and have experience handling dangerous drugs cases and prescription drug errors. Check out our dangerous drug information page to learn more about side effects and recalls. We serve every area of North Carolina, including the Outer Banks, Nags Head and the western mountains, as well as all the cities and counties in between. In South Carolina, we cover the state from Myrtle Beach and Charleston to Orangeburg, Columbia, Florence, Rock Hill, Darlington, Aiken, Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg.

Rick Shapiro and James Lewis have been listed among the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 and the firm has been named a North Carolina "Best Law Firm" for personal injury law since 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. In addition, Rick and Jim have been listed in the National Million Dollar Advocates Forum since 2009 and our firm has the highest rating of AV from national lawyer ranking organization Martindale-Hubbell. That means we have a reputation for demonstrating preeminent legal skill.

While not every injury case meets our criteria, we offer a free, initial confidential injury case consultation, so call us toll free at (800) 752-0042. If you cannot get through due to high call volume, please leave a voicemail so we can return your call promptly.