Do I have a case against the doctor who prescribed diet pills when I was pregnant in 1969 if he is still living?

Medical and dental malpractice claims are, by their nature, very difficult. Under California law, it is necessary, before filing suit, to obtain an affidavit from another professional, verifying that he has reviewed the medical charts and has found that there was negligence. This can cost several thousand dollars, and most attorneys expect that the client will cover this cost. Negligence could be defined as the failure to use REASONABLE care; not all bad outcomes are the result of negligence. You should also be aware that there is a cap on the amount of recovery for pain and suffering, thanks to the doctor lobby. Sometimes one has a good case theoretically, but the damages are too small to warrant a suit. For these reasons, not many lawyers handle malpractice cases. You should seek a specialist. You can contact your LOCAL bar association for a referral.

Too late.

The statute of limitations has expired.

Way too late to do anything about it.

You're much too late, and the causation is much too remote. It is very doubtful that you would ever be able to establish a causal relationship between the ingestion of prescribed drugs during pregnancy and a history of drug abuse in a 44-year-old.

Even if you were able to prove that prescription caused your child to be an addict, it is way too late. Good luck.