A Joint Initiative by Jenner Law and the Morris Law Firm
Introduction
Ketamine has transitioned from an operating-room anesthetic to a headline-grabbing mental-health intervention. When handled by qualified professionals, it can bring relief to select patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or chronic pain. Unfortunately, an expanding marketplace of pop-up clinics, mail-order suppliers, and poorly supervised infusion centers has turned a life-saving medicine into a life-threatening hazard.
Jenner Law and The Morris Law Firm have partnered to help families who have suffered the gravest consequences—death, permanent disability, or irreversible psychological damage—because providers chose profit over patient safety.
Who We Represent
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We focus on matters in which ketamine use led to outcomes that cannot simply be undone with time or routine care. Our clients include families who have lost a loved one after an unsupervised infusion, individuals left with permanent cognitive or organ damage following overdoses, and patients whose uncontrolled exposure has triggered lifelong addiction. We also investigate cases where drug distributors supplied massive quantities of ketamine despite obvious signs of misuse or diversion, and where physicians abandoned their patients after administration, in direct violation of federal safety requirements.
Ketamine Therapy
Many therapists turn to ketamine when traditional treatments have failed because of the drug’s unusually fast-acting benefits. Unlike standard antidepressants that can take weeks to lift a person’s mood, ketamine often eases crushing depression or suicidal thoughts within hours or days. By temporarily changing how the brain’s communication pathways work, it seems to “loosen” stubborn negative thought loops, giving patients a brief window in which they feel lighter, more flexible, and better able to engage in talk therapy. Research also suggests that ketamine sparks new connections between brain cells, a process called neuroplasticity, which may help people rebuild healthier emotional patterns after years of feeling stuck.
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Clinicians often pair a carefully monitored ketamine session with guided psychotherapy, using that short period of mental openness to help patients confront painful memories, process trauma, or reframe harmful beliefs. For individuals battling treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, or severe anxiety—especially those who have cycled through multiple medications without relief—this rapid shift can be life-saving. While ketamine is not a cure and must be used under strict medical supervision, its ability to deliver quick, profound relief makes it a valuable tool in the hands of experienced therapists working with the toughest cases.
Understanding Ketamine: Pharmacology and Toxicology
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Ketamine is a powerful drug used in surgeries to block pain and help people relax or go to sleep. It’s also used in mental health treatment for severe depression. It works by changing how certain parts of the brain—especially those that control mood, memory, and how we feel pain—send signals. While it can help in some cases, ketamine can also cause serious side effects, like seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (hallucinations), feeling disconnected from reality, or dangerous changes to heart rate and breathing.
At low doses, ketamine may be safe in monitored medical settings. But when administered improperly—or in the wrong environment—it can produce serious side effects, including spikes in blood pressure, respiratory distress, and loss of consciousness. When patients are left alone or sent home immediately after administration, they are at risk of overdose, injury, or death.
Repeated or chronic use also carries risks. Long-term ketamine exposure can lead to bladder dysfunction, cognitive decline, and psychological dependence. The addictive nature of the drug, combined with its popularity in both medical and recreational settings, makes proper control and oversight critical.
These risks are why federal law imposes strict obligations on ketamine distributors, pharmacies, and prescribers. When those obligations are ignored or violated, and serious harm results, legal accountability is not only justified—it’s necessary.
When Things Go Wrong
Ketamine therapy, when used in a clinical setting, requires strict adherence to established medical guidelines and regulatory standards to protect patient safety. Because ketamine is a powerful dissociative anesthetic and a controlled substance, practitioners have a duty of care to thoroughly screen patients for underlying conditions such as cardiovascular instability, substance use history, or untreated psychiatric disorders. Clinicians must carefully dose the drug, monitor vital signs throughout the session, and ensure that the patient is not left alone or prematurely discharged. Continuous observation after administration is especially critical, as ketamine can cause disorientation, hallucinations, or respiratory distress. These safeguards are not optional—they are part of a legally and medically recognized standard of care.
When these precautions are ignored, the consequences can be fatal. In one case the Morris Law firm is handling, the doctor received repeated shipments of ketamine despite clear warning signs of misuse, including an unusual pattern of large-volume orders and the absence of any legitimate clinical context. Rather than intervening, the distributor continued to supply the drug even after others, like McKesson, had declined. The result was a complete breakdown in oversight and a tragic death that could have been prevented. In other cases, inexperienced or negligent providers may fail to supervise the patient post-injection, administer excessive doses, or use the drug without appropriate licensing—all of which expose patients to the risk of overdose, psychosis, and long-term harm. These failures are not mere oversights; they represent a breach of the duty of care that medical professionals and suppliers are legally and ethically bound to uphold.
Why We Limit the Cases We Accept
Civil litigation is not a simple formality. A single personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit can require years of work, expert testimony, deep financial investment, and the emotional endurance of the families involved. Court systems, and the law itself, recognize these challenges and reserve compensation for the most serious and long-lasting harm.
Because of these realities, our firms limit our caseloads to those most in need of justice—people whose lives have been changed forever by the wrongful use of ketamine. By concentrating our resources on catastrophic cases, we ensure each client receives the full attention, energy, and advocacy their case demands.
Our Investigative Approach
Once retained, our team begins an immediate, thorough investigation. We examine how the ketamine was obtained—whether it was shipped by a national distributor, supplied by a telehealth clinic, or administered at a treatment center. We analyze purchasing records, DEA reports, clinic licensure, and provider notes to determine whether protocols were followed or ignored.
Our attorneys collaborate with medical specialists to evaluate whether the treatment fell within accepted standards of care and whether proper precautions—such as patient screening, dose control, and post-administration supervision—were in place. We also calculate the full scope of damages, including lost income, future care needs, and the emotional and psychological costs of the injury.
Our goal is not just to win compensation, but to hold dangerous actors accountable and force systemic change.
Why Time Is of the Essence
Every state imposes a legal deadline, known as a statute of limitations, which limits the amount of time you have to bring a lawsuit. Depending on where you live, the clock may start ticking from the date of injury or from when you reasonably should have discovered that ketamine contributed to the harm. In some states, you may have as little as one year to act.
Once the deadline passes, your right to recover damages is gone—permanently.
But deadlines aren’t the only reason time matters. Building a strong case takes months. Our team must secure complete medical records, trace the source of the ketamine, interview witnesses, and consult experts in pharmacology, addiction medicine, and regulatory compliance. Each of these steps must be completed before filing a complaint. The sooner you contact us, the more time we have to prepare your case properly and preserve your legal rights.
Contact Us Today
If you or your loved one experienced death, permanent disability, or serious injury due to a ketamine treatment gone wrong, we want to hear your story. Call our offices for a no-cost, confidential consultation—or submit a detailed case inquiry on our website.
Please be aware: we are only accepting cases involving death or serious, long-term injury. We are not able to assist with claims involving transient side effects or brief psychological discomfort that resolved without further treatment.
Don’t wait. Statutes of limitations can expire quickly. Acting now can make the difference between justice and silence.