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My husband was taking Zoloft but decided to quit taking it without talking to his doctor because he was getting so agitated. After he stopped taking the drug, he committed suicide. Can we prove that the drug caused him to do this? Will our damages be reduced because he quit taking the drug on his own?
People who are taking Zoloft have been found to have an increased tendency towards suicidal thoughts, suicidal gestures, suicide attempts, and suicide completions. Your husband was taking Zoloft, but at the time he committed suicide, he had stopped taking the drug without telling his doctor. This should not foreclose your cause of action against Pfizer or your husband’s doctor.
The agitation that caused your husband to stop taking Zoloft is a well-known side effect of the drug. In some people, this agitation shows up and then is usually followed by a return of the depression and, often, suicidal behavior. Your husband found the agitation so unsettling that he stopped taking the Zoloft. This hastened the return of his depression, but he probably would have had the same result if he had stayed on the Zoloft. Therefore, the connection between the drug and his suicide is not completely broken.
Furthermore, his doctor should have been monitoring him closely for signs of suicidal tendencies, including the agitation which so often precedes suicides related to Zoloft use. His doctor’s failure to sufficiently monitor your husband contributed to your husband’s suicide as well, and you probably have a case for malpractice against your husband’s doctor.
It is difficult to say whether your damages will be reduced as a result of your husband’s decision to stop taking his medication without consulting with his doctor. On the one hand, Pfizer and your husband’s doctor will both argue that he committed suicide because he was depressed due to his failure to take his medication. On the other hand, with the symptoms you have described, it is quite likely he would have attempted suicide even if he had remained on the Zoloft. Your attorney may be able to give you a better idea of how to handle this particular issue to maximize your recovery. |
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