Prescription Error Attorneys in Philadelphia, PA
We trust our doctors, nurses, and pharmacies to give us the medications we need to fight illness, repair conditions, or improve our qualities of life. We never expect that what is in the bottle could cause more harm than good or end our lives. Unfortunately, negligence-related medication and prescription errors occur every year in the United States. This type of medical malpractice causes a myriad of risks and injuries to patients. If you suspect a medication error caused your injuries, or killed a loved one, come to Anapol Weiss for help.
Types of Medication and Prescription Errors
Medications pass through many hands on their way from the manufacturer to the patient. Assuming the manufacturer did not make any errors producing the drug, the potential defendants in a medication error case include the doctor who prescribed the drug, the pharmacy that filled the prescription, or the nurse who administered the drug in a hospital. Determining the defendant may require help from an attorney. A doctor may make a prescription error by failing to:
- Diagnose the condition correctly
- Treat the right patient
- Look into a patient’s medical history
- Notice any drug allergies
- Take into account drugs the patient is already taking
- Avoid adverse reactions
- Warn of potential risks and side effects
- Write down the proper dosage
Dangers of Medication and Prescription Errors
The most common medication errors largely relate to dosages – doctors or nurses administering too much or too little of a drug. Too little can lead to the worsening of a condition, while too much can cause a fatal overdose. In some cases, equipment malfunction is responsible for medication errors. For example, an extra venous pump could have a dislodged valve, leading to too little of the drug administered to the patient.
Medication mistakes can lead to overdoses, harmful drug interactions, taking the wrong medication, worsened medical conditions, permanent injuries, and even death. A patient taking the wrong medication may not only experience harmful effects from the drug but may suffer a worsened prognosis and chance of survival from not receiving the correct drug. There is no end to the possible injuries that can stem from medication errors and prescription mistakes. Protect your rights with help from a lawyer.
Medical Malpractice Practice Areas
How to Pursue Compensation for Medication and Prescription Errors
It is a health care professional’s duty to carefully prescribe and administer medications. Any deviations from accepted standards of medical care, resulting in patient injury or death, is medical malpractice. While not every poor outcome in a hospital or from a drug is due to medication mistakes, many are. It takes a skilled medical malpractice lawyer in Philadelphia to help a plaintiff prove the fault of a doctor, nurse, pharmacy, hospital, or other party after medication-related injuries.
Medical malpractice cases can quickly escalate into complex lawsuits against doctors and/or health care facilities. While it’s possible to represent your own interests, we do not recommend this. Trusting a skilled team of attorneys can maximize your odds of receiving compensation for a harmful medication error.
Why Choose Anapol Weiss
At Anapol Weiss, we investigate your situation and help you determine the correct defendant(s), if we think your claim has merit. Keep documents such as your medical bills, treatment recommendations, and prescriptions, as well as photographs or documentation of any injuries. This information can help strengthen your claim. In Pennsylvania, you will most likely need to hire an expert witness to testify regarding the defendant’s medical negligence. Our firm can help with this aspect of your case as well, using trusted resources to find suitable experts.
Our team of skilled attorneys can help you understand the state and local laws affecting your specific medical malpractice case. To schedule a consultation with one of our lawyers in Philadelphia, call (866) 735-2792 or contact us online.