Families may need to include a toxicology report as evidence in a Fentanyl overdose death when filing a lawsuit against a negligent drug rehab.

The toxicology report can show what drugs were present in the victim’s body and if levels reached what are considered an overdose and could cause death.

This report would be used by a California medical examiner as one determining factor in ruling the cause of a patient’s death.

What an Overdose Toxicology Report Can Tell You

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) explains that a toxicology report uses biological samples to determine the presence of toxins in the body, including drugs. These examinations can be performed on living victims or those who died in a fatal accident.

The data obtained can help answer several questions about a loved one’s overdose death:

• The types of substances present in the victim
• If the amounts reached a harmful concentration
• The general window of time in which someone took a drug like Fentanyl
• The effect the substance had on the victim
• The part the substance played in an overdose death

The types of substances can be critical to a family’s lawsuit over a loved one’s death in a rehab clinic. Polydrug interactions are common in rehab home drug use and deaths. Polysubstance abuse means patients end up with multiple drugs in their system, either on purpose or accidentally. The medical examiner may mark it on a report as “mixed-drug intoxication.”

Fentanyl often ends up in other drugs because drug dealers mix it in to increase potency. Certain drugs used to treat withdrawal symptoms and overdoses can also be dangerous when used together. Doctors and nurses can be liable when ignoring the potential complications of drug interactions.

Toxicology Evidence Against a Negligent California Drug Rehab

Toxicology reports can give families hard evidence that a patient definitely had access to drugs and was left alone long enough to overdose.

Drugs identified: A toxicology report can identify exactly what drugs were used in an overdose, including Fentanyl. It’s powerful evidence when a careless rehab facility tries to claim they are a 100% drug-free space.

Drug Concentrations: Showing how much fentanyl was in a victim’s bloodstream. Overdoses may be described as “acute fentanyl intoxication,” or quantified in “fentanyl toxicity.”

Norfentanyl Presence: Fentanyl can leave the body quickly. But the drug breaks down and leaves Norfentanyl behind (a building block for Fentanyl). This confirms Fentanyl use, even if a drug center operator says there was no Fentanyl available to patients.

In a toxicology report, families might see Fentanyl listed as “detected” or “present.” A report may list Fentanyl as the cause of death or a contributing factor. A skilled attorney can help loved ones determine what drug rehab owners can be held liable for and how much family members should earn in support.

The Evidence To Hold Drug Rehab Owners Fully Liable

The medical examiner’s findings will prove to be strong evidence of what caused a loved one’s death. But when a toxicology report confirms the existence of Fentanyl in someone’s system, it’s not usually the only evidence needed to hold a large health care network responsible.

Strong evidence of the facility’s negligence in allowing a patient to gain access to drugs, to ingest the drugs, and to overdose while escaping detection will be key in a wrongful death case.

A skilled attorney working for the family conducts their own investigation into what happened. That means writing a Spoliation Letter to owners and insurers demanding that certain internal evidence be preserved until it’s turned over. That can include things like surveillance video and staff monitoring logs. These details can show how drugs got into the facility and how long patients went without being checked on.

An experienced California rehab facility wrongful death lawyer would build a strong case backed with evidence and then file a claim on behalf of the family. A lawyer would be handling the frustrating negotiations with corporate owners, while giving families as much time as possible to focus on recovering from such a shock.

Contact Us if your Loved One Was Allowed to Overdose

Attorney Martin Gasparian offers a free, confidential consultation to families who have lost a loved one at a California drug rehab facility.

There’s no obligation for a free case review, but all families should know that there are no upfront costs to hire a skilled lawyer. We don’t get paid unless we win your case. Then our fee comes out of the settlement a drug rehab facility must provide.

Mr. Gasparian can help families seek justice against a negligent facility. He demands that families get help with funeral costs and in replacing the income the victim may have supported the family with. Support should also be given for the devastating emotional trauma families must cope with.