When a person suffers serious personal injuries in a car crash or work-related accident, or is diagnosed with a painful and debilitating condition, there is a very good chance that they will be prescribed some sort of painkiller to help manage the pain they are experiencing.
While these prescription drugs — with names like hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin), and fentanyl (Duragesic) — are an invaluable treatment tool, they are not without their hidden risks.
Specifically, these drugs are all highly addictive, such that people with no previous history of substance abuse can become increasingly dependent upon them.
Compounding this danger further is that many people are often prescribed large amounts of these prescription painkillers, meaning they still have access to pills even though their condition has improved to such a degree that medication is no longer necessary.
The end result of all this is that people can suddenly find themselves with a very serious addiction that causes them to take otherwise drastic steps when their supply runs out, including purchasing illegal drugs like heroin in an attempt to replicate the high of prescription drugs or attempting to pass a forged prescription at a pharmacy.
Unfortunately, even though these actions are obviously fueled by an underlying substance abuse problem, prosecutors can — and will — pursue felony charges.
At Levitt & Levitt, we understand how frightening these situations can be for people, as their freedom, their livelihood, their health and their future are all on the line. That’s why we always do everything in our power to try to get the charges reduced and the option of treatment, as opposed to incarceration, on the table.
To learn more about how we can prepare a strong case against prescription fraud charges, please visit our website.
