Medication Mistakes and Wrongful Death
If you have ever suffered because of a pharmacy error, you are not alone. In fact, over 1.5 million people in hospitals nationwide report having been given the wrong medication. Millions more receive the wrong drugs from their pharmacy because of an error on the part of the doctor, the pharmacy staff, or the pharmacist. Medication mistakes are a big problem in America’s healthcare system.
Pharmacy Error
Medication mistakes take a variety of forms, depending on when, how, and by whom the mistake was made. Examples of medication errors include:
- Drug allergies. Sometimes doctors may prescribe a drug to which a patient has an adverse allergic reaction.
- Medication interactions. If a patient is already taking other drugs, a new prescription may react with the new drug to cause adverse side effects.
- Illegible prescription notes. Although more and more doctors are choosing to send information to the pharmacist digitally, handwritten prescriptions or typographical errors can cause the prescription to be misinterpreted.
- Filling the wrong prescription. The pharmacist fills the prescription with a drug with a similar name, or provides you with another person’s drugs.
- Doctor error. A doctor prescribes the wrong drug for your condition or mixes up the names of two drugs.
- Incorrect dosage. A doctor or a pharmacist provides either too much or too little of a medication.
- Inconsistent dosage instructions. A doctor may instruct a patient to take a drug in a certain way, while a pharmacist or drug description may give alternate instructions.
While some medication mistakes are simple fixes, many have devastating and even fatal results. If your loved one has been killed because of a medication error, you may be able to fight back against the party responsible for your loss.
Contact Us
The Pennsylvania wrongful death lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams, P.C. are dedicated to helping the families of victims fight for the fair and generous compensation they need for their suffering. To learn more about your legal options, contact our offices today at 610-667-7511.