Opioid Addicted Infants

Babies Exposed to Opioids Develop Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Over the past decades, as opioid drug use has climbed in the United States, the number of newborns born with a dependence on opioids has also increased significantly. Opioid addicted babies suffer in the short term as their tiny bodies cope with withdrawal, and can also develop long term problems that may require significant medical attention and alter the course of their lives. Known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, the condition is not yet well understood in the medical community.

Babies born addicted to opioids were exposed when a substance taken by their mother was passed on through her bloodstream. In many cases, women have become addicted to opioids after seeking pain relief from a doctor for a legitimate reason such as recovery from surgery, only to become pregnant while taking the substance. Critics blame the uptick in opioid use on two main factors: aggressive and illegal marketing tactics that led to overprescribing of opioids, and a failure on the part of the industry to fairly warn consumers about the dangers of addiction. In a fifteen year period starting in 1999, use of opioids quadrupled; by 2014, retail sales of opioids had reached a record $8 billion.

It is unimaginable that industry executives purposefully chose not to warn American consumers about the very serious risk of opioid addiction, yet that is exactly what opioid lawsuits contend. The impacts for the patients themselves are profound; babies born into this situation will suffer the consequences for life. Opioid attorneys believe families with babies born with NAS may be eligible for significant compensation for resulting pain, suffering, and medical expenses through filing opioid lawsuits against manufacturers. Our opioid lawyers are committed to holding manufacturers accountable for the significant harm and suffering their actions have caused for babies addicted to opioids and their families.

Opioid Addicted Newborns

Today, it is estimated that a baby addicted to opioids is born at least every 20 minutes. Opioid exposure in utero can result in poor intrauterine growth and low birth weight, premature birth, and birth defects. Opioid addicted babies begin to show symptoms of withdrawal in the days following birth and suffer from acute symptoms for months. Withdrawal from opioids in newborns is characterized by seizures, tremors, a high-pitched and persistent cry, difficulty sucking and eating, vomiting, diarrhea, and sleep problems, among other side effects. Comfort measures can ease some of the suffering but it is very difficult to soothe opioid-addicted babies.

Once the initial withdrawal symptoms wear off, the child may continue to experience long-term effects including developmental delays, behavioral problems, and attention deficit disorder. It is very common for babies born with opioid dependence to require intensive therapies throughout their childhood years.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

While extensive research has been conducted on the effects of opioid addiction in adults, far less is known about opioid dependence in newborns. Initial research has identified a common set of symptoms and established a name for the condition: Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. Research indicates that the baby's gestational stage at the time of birth can have an effect on the severity of the syndrome: opioid addicted babies that are born prematurely are believed to suffer fewer consequences. What the mother took and how recently before the baby's birth are other factors that may impact the outcomes for the newborn. Diagnostic methods and some treatments have also been developed and implemented in neonatal units across the U.S.

Our Opioid Attorneys Are Here to Help

When innocent families suffer as a result of corporate negligence and greed, our attorneys see it as their duty to pursue justice in even the most complex of cases. Through settlements and winning verdicts, our attorneys have obtained millions for our clients. Let us help you today. In the case of opioid addicted babies, evidence suggests industry leaders chose to downplay the risks of opioid addiction and prenatal opioid exposure in order to maximize profits. As a result, opioid addicted babies are born at an alarming rate. Our opioid lawyers believe families of babies born with opioid dependence may be eligible for real compensation by filing a claim against manufacturers.

Our experienced opioid attorneys have seen the aftereffects of numerous drug recalls. Aware of the very serious nature of baby formula lawsuits, this national* drug litigation law firm is offering its significant resources to provide clients with the best opioid attorney representation available. Our opioid lawsuit team is now offering a free case review to families harmed by the aftereffects of opioid exposure in utero. Unaware of the danger for opioid addiction, many mothers took opioid painkillers at a doctor's direction and then became addicted. Our opioid lawyers seek to obtain compensation for the harm and suffering experienced by opioid addicted babies while also holding opioid drug manufacturers accountable.

If a child in your family has suffered from fetal opioid exposure, you may be eligible to receive compensation through filing an opioid lawsuit. These opioid attorneys provide free, no-obligation case reviews to persons and family members who match this description. Our opioid baby lawyers have a strong track record of success in their work representing clients harmed by multinational pharmaceutical companies. Should you choose to retain our opioid lawyers, there is never any fee unless we win compensation on your behalf.

No Fees Unless We Collect for You - Our Opioid Attorneys Represent Clients on a Contingency Basis

We will represent all persons involved in an opioid lawsuit on a contingency basis, meaning there are never any legal fees unless we win compensation in your case. If your baby or child developed health problems as a result of opioid exposure before birth, you qualify for a free, no-obligation case review from our opioid attorneys. Use this site's chat feature or complete the online contact form to be connected with our opioid attorney team.

The Onder Law Firm

The Onder Law Firm is a St. Louis personal injury law firm handling serious injury and death claims across the country. Its mission is the pursuit of justice, no matter how complex the case or strenuous the effort. The Onder Law Firm has represented clients throughout the United States in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation such as Pradaxa, Lexapro and Yasmin/Yaz, where the firm's attorneys held significant leadership roles in the litigation, as well as Actos, DePuy, Risperdal and others. The firm has represented thousands of persons in these and other products liability litigation, including DePuy hip replacement systems, which settled for $2.5 billion and Pradaxa internal bleeding, which settled for $650 million. The Onder Law Firm won over $300 million in four talcum powder ovarian cancer lawsuits in St. Louis to date and other law firms throughout the nation often seek its experience and expertise on complex litigation.