NOTE: Our law firm does not handle medical malpractice cases. This article is for informational purposes only. Information found in the article does not constitute as formal legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship.
Were you or a loved one harmed by an adverse drug reaction? Or given the wrong dosage of medication? Finding out that a medical professional you trusted made a mistake is devastating. You could be entitled to compensation for medical care associated with the error, along with money for lost wages and pain and suffering.
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How Common Are Medication Errors?
Up to 9,000 people die every year in the U.S. due to medication errors. At that rate, that’s about 24 every day. Countless others suffer from dosage errors or from being prescribed the wrong medication.
One study indicates that nearly 7 million patients are affected every year by medication errors. The cost required to care for patients who have suffered a medication error is staggering—more than $40 billion a year.
Overview of Medication Errors
When medication is required to treat your injury or illness, you must get a prescription that is tailored just for you and take the medication exactly as prescribed. But it’s more complicated than that. Prescribing the right medication requires a doctor to understand your medical history and monitor your progress once you start taking the medicine.
Medication errors may occur in the hospital, such as when anesthesia is administered during surgery. But many may occur when the patient is sent home with a prescription.
What Are Examples of Medication Errors?
Some errors occur when:
- The wrong drug is prescribed
- The wrong dosage is prescribed
- The drug is administered at the wrong time
- The drug is given to the wrong patient
Hospitals are busy places, even chaotic at times. Many medical mistakes happen in the emergency department, operating rooms, or intensive care units.
What Causes Medication Errors?
Nearly 75% of medication errors are thought to be caused by distracted physicians. This may account for the wrong dosage or instructions. Some medication errors happen by failing to consider, recognize, or treat the effects of the drug. All of these types of errors fall into the category of medical malpractice.
Some specific causes of medical errors include:
- Failure to monitor vital symptoms after drug administration
- Failure to take into account the patient’s renal or liver function
- Failure to confirm patient allergies or other patient data
- Failure to warn the patient of a drug’s side effects
- Illegible writing
- Mislabeling drugs
- Using expired medication
- Poor communication
- Using contaminated medication
- Improper drug storage
- Lack of training on drug interactions
Who Is Responsible for Medication Errors in Baltimore, MD?
Most medication errors are a result of medical negligence, and all parties who contributed to the mistake can be held accountable.
This may include:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Hospital staff
- Hospitals, clinics, or laboratories
- Drug manufacturers
- Anesthesiologists or other specialists
- Pharmacists
If you believe you have a medical malpractice claim, call us. We can refer you to a lawyer who handles these cases.