Prescription Medication Errors As Medical Malpractice
. A prescription medication error is a common type of medical error that can result in a medical malpractice claim. According to research, 7,000 to 9,000 people die in the U.S. annually due to medication errors, and hundreds of thousands of patients experience adverse reactions or other medication complications. If you or a loved one fell victim to a prescription medication error and believe that a medical professional’s actions constitute medical negligence, it is crucial that you consult an experienced medical malpractice attorney. Cases involving prescription medication errors can be complex.
What Is a Prescription Medication Error?
There is no single definition of a prescription medication error, as there are many types of prescription medication errors. The following are some of the common prescription medication errors that can cause severe injuries and death:
- Giving a patient the wrong medication
- Giving a patient the wrong dosage of medication (either too little medication or too much)
- Wrongful labeling of medication
- Prescribing medication that a patient is allergic to
- Prescribing medication that interacts negatively with other medication that the patient is using
- Failing to warn the patient of possible medication side effects
For example, it is the job of doctors, nurses, and pharmacists to warn patients of possible medication side effects. Patients also need to know the types of food they should avoid when taking certain medications. For instance, several high cholesterol and high blood pressure medications don’t work well when the patient consumes grapefruit. Grapefruit has compounds that may interfere with how the body absorbs some drugs. It can leave too much or too little of the drug in the bloodstream, which can be dangerous. This is just one example.
Who Is Liable for a Prescription Medication Error?
Anyone along the chain of prescribing and dispensing medication can be liable for a prescription medication error. Therefore, a doctor, nurse, hospital, or pharmacist can be held liable for a prescription medication error. Doctors and nurses should write correct prescriptions and administer medication correctly. Hospitals must ensure drug safety, and pharmacists must issue the proper medicines and dosages. Anyone who deviates from the standard practice is liable for resulting damages.
Proving a Prescription Medication Error Medical Malpractice Case
Contact a skilled medical malpractice attorney if you or a loved one has fallen victim to a prescription medication error. Prescription medication error cases can be complex. An attorney can help you establish the following;
- The medical standard: You must clearly show the accepted procedures in the specific scenario. An attorney can help you find a medical expert who can help define the standard of care needed in the particular scenario.
- A deviation from the medical standard: A medical expert can help show how the medical professional deviated from the medical standard of care.
- Harm suffered: You need to show that the medical professional’s actions caused harm to you or your loved one. Harm can include a new condition or the worsening of a pre-existing medical condition.
Contact an Atlanta Medication Error Attorney
If you or a loved one has been a victim of a prescription medication error and need help filing a medical malpractice claim, contact our skilled Atlanta medication error attorney at Carroll Law Firm.
Source:
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519065/#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20in%20the%20United%20States%20alone%2C%207%2C000%20to%209%2C000%20people%20die%20as%20a%20result%20of%20a%20medication%20error.%20Additionally%2C%20hundreds%20of%20thousands%20of%20other%20patients%20experience%20but%20often%20do%2
