My Mom was prescribed morphine due to degenerative disc disease- she is addicted- can we sue the doctor?

My poor Mom is in the hospital as we speak. I covet your prayers- especially those of you whom are my friends/contacts. Thank you.


She has insurance through Kaiser. A few years ago, she injured her back by falling down through the roof of our townhome.

She eventually was prescribed morphine by her doctor at Kaiser.

Now, she has a serious addiction. She is getting help, but this is only the beginning.

I need legal advice. Can we sue Kaiser for malpractice, since my Mom is now addicted to morphine?

Please furnish any advice you may have for us. Thank you for your help!

I appreciate your answers-

but we are not 'sue happy.' Do you understand?

My mother has been taking morphine for about three years. Is that responsible practice on the part of the doctor and Kaiser Permanente?

No, I think not. Sorry to differ with you.

What IF this doctor is prescribing morphine to other patients? Is that responsible to prescribe that powerful of medication to people for protracted periods of time?

I could see three weeks. But not three years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You say she is in the hospital now for treatment... obviously SOMEONE at Kaiser felt the morphine was not necessary and took her off of it.

That indicates that it was not needed. So why did they keep giving it to her?

Doctors give out medications like candy. More cattle through the chute.

Difficult situation. Large doses of narcotics are often required to relieve the pain of a back injury. If pain continues, then addiction can occur. By itself, the fact that your mom became addicted isn't malpractice.

Before talking to a lawyer, talk to her doctors. Then, if you're still not satisfied, sit down with an attorney.

Best of luck to you & your mom.

i have degenerative disk desease. i take morphine. i can take it to stop the pain, and give myself a betterquality of life. there is no cure or surgery. yes i'm addicted, but i do not lie in bed like i did for 3 yrs before i was diagnosed. hair cuts, shopping, .. everything you take for granted, i could'nt do. plus i'm out of my missery. and they don't offer it unless your in bad shape. i don't get high. the pain stops.2 choices, suffer and go nowhere, or take your pain pills.it's medicine that she needs, addiction is of no concern since she'll need it possibly forever. it's your mom, i know you don't want her to suffer. she's not a junkie on skid row after all.

You cannot sue Kaiser or the doctor for malpractice. They described the morphine to kill the pain. Your mother is the one who became addicted. It's not like Kaiser or the doctor forced the pills down her throat. She became addicted on her own, and I imagine members of your family helped her by giving her pills when she really didn't need it.

Sorry but its your mother's own fault for getting addicted.

I was placed on methadone for my chronic pain condition. The doctor had only ordered an MRI, not x-rays or other tests. He wasn't the one who finally learned what was causing my pain. We quickly progressed from ultram to vicodan to methadone. Basically, he was just trying to get me out of his office with pills. I became physically dependent on the methadone, but hated the feeling. After a week I was begging him to take me off of it. He insisted I stay on.

I do have no legal recourse for him placing me on the pills. I knew when I took them that they were very likely to cause physical dependency. Morphine is known for causing physical and psychological dependency. Coming off the methadone was h*ll and I will pray for your mother as she goes through this. It is not easy to come off of opiates.

It's my understanding that malpractice occurs what a doctor diagnoses wrong or provides the wrong medication for a patient (I'm no legal expert though). In your mother's case, obviously pain relief was needed. Is she better now? Or is she just tired of the effects of the morphine?

One question I'd ask the doctors she sees is if morphine was really necessary for her level of pain. Have her sign releases so they can see why she was prescribed the morphine. Get the opinion of a doctor who specializes in addiction. Perhaps once you have that you'll have a better idea of where to go with legalities. As for suing Kaiser vs. suing the doctor, I think you'll have to sue the doctor if anyone. Kaiser can't be held responsible for the acts of every doctor in their network.

ETA: Thank you Kathy for clearing up my misconceptions about degenerative disc disease.

No she cannot sue because she got addicted to morphine . I'm addicted to morphine myself,I started taking morphine in 2004 and till this day I take it three times a day 80mg at a pop.along with percocet and I'll keep taking it till the day I die ? It's better than the pain I suffer with.

Did the insuracne prescribe morphine to her? no.

i assume you just want someone to sue, think about what you would have done if she hadnt been put on pain medication or was denied it, you probably would have wanted to sue.

life happens man

Morphine (an opiate) is addictive and often problematic, i.e. lethargy, dulled senses, life on the couch, disability.

Uncontrolled pain is often problematic, i.e. disability, depression, suicide, etc.

Morphine is chosen for pain control when nothing else give adequate relief.

Leave the doctor alone and wipe those dollar signs out of your eyes....they cloud the vision.

I am sorry about your mother, but you can not sue a drug company, doctor, or hospital because a person become addicted to medication