Legal Info Blog
When someone begins struggling with addiction, the desire for a certain substance will overpower judgment, self-control and feelings of responsibility. This can lead to severe consequences, including job loss, trouble with the law and financial distress.
Legal Consequences of Drug Abuse Lead to Financial Consequences
The government regulates addictive substances in an effort to reduce access to harmful drugs and preserve the health of its people. More than 46 percent –almost half—of federal arrests in the United States are on drug-related charges. An arrest like this most often leads to significant jail time, probation and a series of legal consequences that follow you permanently throughout life.
Once arrested, drug addiction can haunt you. You’ll face legal consequences of drug abuse like:
- Lost Driver’s License
- Revoked professional licensure, especially in public safety, medical and transit fields
- Criminal record detailing arrest, jail time and history of drug abuse
It is not uncommon for individuals to be sentenced to 25 years in prison for drug abuse. If felony charges are laid against you, then you may also lose your ability to vote, be prohibited from living in certain communities and may have difficulty finding employment.
It is not uncommon for legal consequences to create financial difficulty for the addict, as well as their family. A criminal record is easily accessed by potential employers, making future employment opportunities limited. Serving time in jail will often eliminate a source of family income, which may cause further financial distress.
Economics of Addiction
Even before an arrest occurs, addiction can lay a heavy financial burden on an individual’s life. Substance abuse is expensive. Maintaining even a moderate habit of drug abuse can cost thousands of dollars annually.
Often, funds to maintain a drug abuse habit are taken from savings accounts, child education funds and other living expenses. It often requires further funds to then cover up alcohol and drug abuse habits, which will commonly lead to increased debt.
The financial complications of drug abuse are compounded by the compromised reasoning abilities experienced when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Addictive behavior is often associated with financial distress due to:
- Job Loss
- Divorce
- Missed Rent or Mortgage Payments
- Carelessness with Spending Habits
- Increased Debt
- Hefty Fines for Legal Consequences
Situations like home foreclosure or vehicle repossession are not rare with addiction.
Left unaddressed, addiction can take over your life. It will influence your economic stability, career prospects, relationships and home. Family members, co-workers and friends are all affected by one person’s struggle with addiction.
There are people who manage to function for a long time without experiencing any of these legal or financial consequences, but the longer you cope with an addiction the higher your risk for facing distress becomes.
This is a settlement for the Asbestos Mesothelioma lawsuit.
May 26 2011
Washington, DC: The families of four men who died from asbestos mesothelioma and who had filed asbestos claims againt companies that manufactured and supplied asbestos-containing products, have been awarded over $9,600,000 in damages.
All four men had worked smelting facilities and steel mills, and died as elderly men. Their families claimed that defendants were aware of the dangers associated with the asbestos in their products, but failed to appropriately warn of the hazard.
Care Center Abuse
Care center abuse can happen at any home or facility that provides care to other people, including nursing homes, homes for people with disabilities, senior living communities, group homes, and medical care homes. Abuse can also occur in in-home care situations--such as with foster care abuse. Nursing home abuse and other forms care home abuse occur more frequently than many people think, and the victims may not always be able to communicate what is going on. Victims of abuse at care homes may suffer permanent injury, including physical and emotional trauma. Those who are victims of serious injuries may die from their injuries or from care center neglect .
Care Center Negligence
Care center negligence occurs when the staff at a care center fails to provide adequate or required care to residents. This can include failing to provide medicine, failing to reposition patients in their beds, failure to report injuries, failure to treat injuries and failure to provide a facility that is reasonably safe. Negligence can result in many serious injuries to care center residents, including infections, broken bones, bed sores, dehydration and brain injuries.
In some cases, staff and employees at care homes set out to victimize seniors by stealing from them or abusing them. In other cases, such as neglect or negligence, the harm could be caused simply by understaffing or lack of trained personnel at the care center. Even if the harm was not intentionally caused, it is still the care home's responsibility to ensure that an adequate number of properly trained staff are available to keep residents safe and well-cared for.
Care centers may also be found negligent if staff know of crimes being committed against residents but fail to take appropriate action or fail to notify the authorities or the victim's family.
Care center negligence comes in many forms and can include senior living community negligence, group home negligence, nursing home negligence, foster care negligence, or even rehabilitation facility negligence.
Care Center Physical Abuse
Care center physical abuse occurs when staff at a care center commit violent physical acts against residents, including hitting, kicking, punching or throwing the patients. Care centers may also be liable if a resident is physically abusive to another resident.
Care Center Sexual Abuse
Care center sexual abuse occurs when staff members commit unwanted sexual acts on residents in the home, or when they commit such acts on people incapable of giving their consent. A care center can also be liable for situations in which one resident sexually assaults another resident.
Care Center Medical Malpractice
Often, residents at care centers require some form of medical care. In some cases, the care required is minimal, but in others patients may rely on staff or physicians for daily medical care. No matter what the situation, staff is required to provide a reasonable standard of medical care. Should such medical care not be provided or be sub-standard, care center victims may be able to file a care center medical malpractice lawsuit.
Care Center Wrongful Death
In some situations, the injuries or harm suffered by residents at nursing homes are serious enough to result in death of the resident. Such situations include failure to provide adequate medication, failure to obtain medical care or refer the patient to a doctor, failure to provide food and failure to recognize patients in distress. In these cases, the family of the care center victim may be able to file a care center wrongful death lawsuit against the people involved, alleging wrongful death on the part of staff and management of the nursing home. Care center wrongful death can occur not only nursing homes but also in other care facilities--such as group home wrongful death or senior living wrongful death.
Care Center Abuse Legal Help
If you or a loved one has suffered damages in this case, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a Care Center Abuse lawyer who may evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.