Opinion ID: 2968392
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Angela Knight

Text: Angela Knight sought treatment from Appellant for chronic back pain after her previous pain clinic was shut down for its prescribing practices. J.A. 388-89. Even though she lived closer to other pain clinics, Knight traveled nearly two-and-one-half hours to see Appellant. J.A. 392, 542. He treated Knight with high doses of OxyContin, along with methadone and oxycodone. J.A. 538-40. As with other of Appellant’s patients, evidence suggested that Knight was not taking her medicine as prescribed. For example, at her former pain clinic, Knight twice tested negative for opioids despite being prescribed OxyContin at the time. J.A. 537-38. Even though her medical records revealed this fact, on her first visit to him, Appellant doubled the dosage of her previous OxyContin prescription. J.A. 390. Thereafter, Appellant continued to prescribe high and escalating doses of opioids for Knight after his office conducted two similar drug tests that detected no opioids in her system. J.A. 538, 542. On other occasions, Knight tested positive for opioids, indicating that she was, in fact, taking her medications. J.A. 539-40. Knight eventually became addicted to the medications that Appellant prescribed and suffered significant withdrawal when she stopped taking them. J.A. 397.