A Northern California doctor has been accused of gross negligence in connection with prescription drugs. According to a report issued by the Medical Board of California, Dr. Thomas Neuschatz allegedly prescribed “escalating doses” of narcotics to patients who already had addiction issues. Further, he failed to take steps to determine and alleviate their complaints of pain.
The wrongful death and negligence complaint alleges that the doctor who practiced in Marysville, Chico and rural Yuba County caused the deaths of nine patients under his care. If you suspect a physician’s conduct has lead to the death of a loved one, seek the advice of a top Stockton wrongful death attorney right away. You may be able to recover compensation and protect others from harm.
Unfortunately, complaints such as those against Neuschatz are not uncommon. Prescription pain pills have been linked to more than 15,000 deaths/year or 41/day in the United States, making it a “national epidemic” according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One of the main culprits is the rise in prescriptions for morphine-based drugs, including oxycodone, methadone and Soma.
Specific complaints include that Neuschatz prescribed painkillers far in excess of the recommended amounts and that he continued to prescribe drugs to a 19-year-old boy who had a history of drug abuse.
Gross negligence claims against physicians arise as the result of “repeated acts of clearly excessive prescribing, furnishing, dispensing, or administering, of drugs or treatment …. as determined by the standard of the community of licensees…for a physician and surgeon, dentist, podiatrist, psychologist, physical therapist, chiropractor, optometrist, speech-language pathologist, or audiologist.”
In addition to the claim against Neuschatz, the California medical board has filed a complaint against an East Bay doctor – Edward Manougian – for his alleged activity in prescribing narcotic pain pills to patients who subsequently died.
A complaint has also been filed against a Santa Barbara doctor nicknamed the “candy man” who has been linked to at least a dozen patient deaths as the result of prescription drug negligence.
If the Medical Board of California determines that Neuschatz is guilty of gross negligence, he may lose his license to practice medicine in California and be subject to significant fines and penalties.
The disciplinary actions are separate from any civil action – including wrongful death lawsuits or medical malpractice actions – that may be filed by the patients or the patients’ surviving family members.
For more information about medical malpractice, prescription negligence or if you believe you or a family member has suffered an injury as the result of the actions of a medical professional please do not hesitate to contact a top Stockton wrongful death lawyer at the Law Offices of Frederick J. Sette. Our dedicated California personal injury lawyers are dedicated to protecting your rights.