When a doctor takes the Hippocratic Oath, he or she is pledging to help people. Unfortunately, some doctors don't take that oath to heart. In some cases, doctors ends up using their power to prescribe medications to give people many more pain pills or narcotics than is typically acceptable. Ohio residents might be interested to learn about a doctor who is facing serious charges for over-prescribing pain killers as well as trafficking drugs.

The doctor is accused of prescribing over 1,000 pain killers to one patient in a single month. He is also accused of prescribing a 20-year-old patient 180 oxycodone pills in one month and prescribing more than 800 pain killing pills to a third patient over the course of two months.

Drug Enforcement Agency agents arrested the doctor in January of 2012. Authorities claim many of the drugs prescribed by the doctor were sold on the street. They say 11 deaths occurred because of overdoses related to the over-prescribing of the pain medications.

It is being reported that the doctor might be close to a plea deal with federal prosecutors. Under the deal, the doctor could potentially face up to 200 years in prison and restitution of at least $10 million. The plea deal was signed in November 2013, but it is pending a hearing on Jan. 9, 2014. If the plea deal is honored, the doctor will plead guilty to 11 charges and the remaining charges will be dropped. The dropped charges could still be considered during the official sentencing, however.

If you or a loved one has been injured by similar circumstances caused by doctor negligence, you might be able to seek compensation for the malpractice. Getting advice from an experienced Ohio attorney well versed in medical malpractice can help you determine an appropriate course of action.

Source: Santa Barbara Independent, "Dr. Julio ‘Candyman’ Diaz Faces 200 Years in Prison" Lyz Hoffman, Dec. 31, 2013