Sadly, suicide is a leading cause of death among people under the age of 35 in the United States. Losing a loved one to suicide can be a harrowing experience. Not only are you dealing with the loss of a loved one but also wondering if anything could have been done differently to prevent the suicide. If you lost a loved one to suicide in which you believe medical negligence caused or contributed to the death, you should contact a Syracuse medical malpractice attorney as soon possible. These cases are much more complex than standard malpractice cases but we can help you understand your legal rights and options in the aftermath of such a tragedy.
Chris Cornell, a singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave committed suicide by hanging last year. Now, his widow Vicki is suing Cornell’s doctor for medical malpractice in California. In the complaint, Cornell’s family alleges that the singer was carelessly and recurrently prescribed “dangerous mind-altering controlled substances” that clouded his judgment and led him to partake in unsafe impulsive behavior that he was not able to control. Cornell was allegedly prescribed over 940 doses of the anti-anxiety drug known as Lorazepam from September 2015 to when he died despite being known as an “addiction-prone” individual.
Medical Malpractice Related to Patient Suicide
Suicide malpractice lawsuits are notoriously difficult to win because juries are hesitant to hold a medical professional liable for a person’s own decision to take their like. However, it is possible for medical negligence to play a role in a patient’s suicide. The central issue in a suicide malpractice claim is foreseeability. In other words, was the suicide foreseeable to the doctor? A doctor is supposed to document all information that pertains to the possibility of a suicide, including prior suicide attempts, family history of suicide, mental disorders that can increase risk of suicide, drug and alcohol abuse and even recurring thoughts of suicide. When prescribing medication, all of the aforementioned factors should be taken into account to minimize the risk of suicide. When this does not happen and the patient takes his or her own life, the doctor may be liable for malpractice.
Medical malpractice, also commonly referred to as medical negligence, occurs when a medical professional causes injury or death to a patient by failing to use the level of care that a reasonably prudent medical professional would have used in the same situation. Put another way, medical malpractice occurs when the medical professional deviates from the accepted standard of care, thereby causing patient harm.
Reputable Syracuse Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Losing a loved one to suicide is heartbreaking for anyone left behind. If you lost a loved one due to suicide and you believe that medical negligence or prescription errors played a role in the death, it is imperative to reach out to a seasoned Syracuse medical malpractice attorney who can help. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, we are deeply committed to holding negligent medical professionals accountable for the harm that they cause to their patient’s and their loved ones. To be connected to one of our team members, call us today at 833-200-2000 or contact us online.
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