Here’s What You Need to Know
Mental health treatment is a crucial part of recovery and rehabilitation for many individuals across Arizona. Whether it’s managing schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or undergoing substance abuse treatment, patients often trust that the medications and rehab facilities involved are both safe and effective. Unfortunately, that trust can be broken when antipsychotic medications cause severe side effects—or when a person is harmed during or after rehab due to negligence.
At Rideout Law Group, we’ve seen how these scenarios unfold—and how complex the legal process becomes when injuries occur in medical or therapeutic settings.
Antipsychotic Injuries: Understanding the Risk
Antipsychotic medications can come with serious risks. Patients may suffer from debilitating side effects like tardive dyskinesia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, or extreme sedation that can result in accidents or hospitalization. In some cases, vulnerable individuals are overmedicated or prescribed inappropriate drug combinations—leading to harm that could have been avoided.
If you or a loved one has been injured after taking prescribed antipsychotics, especially in a clinical or correctional setting, you may be entitled to compensation. We often begin building a case by subpoenaing medical records—once a lawsuit is filed. While HIPAA laws protect patient identities, these records can still reveal critical data like dosage patterns, pharmaceutical brands, and treatment notes, helping us determine whether a pharmaceutical company or facility acted negligently.
Post-Rehab Injuries: When Recovery Goes Wrong
Rehabilitation programs are meant to be safe spaces for healing. Sadly, some patients suffer physical, emotional, or medical injuries due to understaffing, lack of oversight, improper detox protocols, or even abuse from unlicensed personnel. When someone exits rehab only to suffer harm shortly after—or relapses due to substandard care—legal accountability may lie with the rehab center or its medical staff.
These cases often rely on a review of treatment logs, discharge summaries, and staff credentials. While individual patient names may be redacted due to HIPAA, the data collected through subpoenas can shine a light on systemic negligence or dangerous practices.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
In these cases, potential defendants may include:
- The pharmaceutical manufacturer (if a drug was defectively designed or marketed without proper warnings)
- The prescribing doctor or psychiatrist (if dosages were dangerously high or interactions ignored)
- The rehab facility (for failing to monitor, protect, or properly treat a patient)
- Corporate owners or medical directors (if systemic failures are documented)
At Rideout Law Group, we have experience pursuing claims involving both medical malpractice and pharmaceutical liability, combining legal expertise with compassion for our clients’ complex experiences.
Building a Case: What We Look For
Once retained, our team will immediately begin investigating your case with diligence and discretion. This may include:
- Subpoenaing medical records post-litigation filing
- Reviewing medication logs and dosage patterns
- Consulting medical experts to evaluate standard of care
- Tracing drug manufacturing history for known issues
Our priority is to hold negligent parties accountable while respecting the sensitive nature of mental health and substance abuse recovery.
Local, Aggressive Legal Help in Arizona
With offices in both Scottsdale and Lake Havasu City, Rideout Law Group offers strong legal advocacy across Maricopa and Mohave counties. We understand how overwhelming it is to face injury after already seeking help, and we are here to help you fight back with evidence, strategy, and support.
📍 Scottsdale Office: 11111 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 225, Scottsdale, AZ 85254
📍 Lake Havasu Office: 2800 Sweetwater Ave, Suite A104, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86406
This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this content does not create an attorney-client relationship. For legal guidance specific to your situation, please contact a licensed attorney at Rideout Law Group.