Why Pharmacy Errors are Dangerous

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about the seriousness of medical negligence and nursing errors. In fact, medical malpractice is the third-leading cause of death in the United States. While we have gone over some of the reasons why medical negligence occurs, it is important to also keep in mind that those aren’t the only types of errors that take place in the healthcare industry. Pharmacy errors are another common problem that we have seen. Unfortunately, many prescription drug errors go unreported or even unnoticed by patients. However, there is a serious potential for danger when it comes to prescription drug errors by doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals.

Both prescription errors and medication mistakes lead to thousands of injuries and deaths each year in the United States. According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, more than 7,000 deaths occur each year because of incorrect prescriptions. This is a staggering statistic that highlights the need for us to begin raising awareness about how serious prescription errors are. As leading California and Texas medical malpractice attorneys, we have represented people who have been affected by these types of mistakes on numerous different occasions. We understand how devastating pharmacy errors can be, which is why we encourage you to contact one of our law offices to find out how we can help you if you or a loved one was the victim of a medication error.

What Types of Pharmacy Errors Can Result in a Lawsuit?

Before you decide to pursue a lawsuit against the pharmacy, doctor, or healthcare professional who made a medication error, it is important to have a good understanding of some of the most common mistakes that are made when filling a prescription at the pharmacy:

• Prescribing the wrong medication
• Prescribing the wrong dosage of the right medication
• Failing to reasonably foresee dangerous complications (for example, dangerous drug interaction)
• Neglecting to warn a patient of the dangerous side effects of a particular drug
• Marketing defective or unsafe medications

These are just a few of the top ways in which pharmacy errors can occur, all of which are extremely dangerous and could lead to injury or worse.

Who Can I Sue?

In the event you or a loved one is harmed by a prescription or medication error, you may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. There are several different parties that may be held liable in these types of situations, including the following:

• The doctor who wrote the prescription for the wrong medication
• The doctor who failed to warn the patient of some of the potential dangerous side effects of the drug
• The pharmacist who filled the wrong prescription
• The manufacturer of the prescription, in the event you discover that the drug was presented in a false manner

Medical malpractice lawsuits can be quite complicated and difficult to navigate, which is why it is important that you have an attorney from Rad Law Firm by your side. To learn more about our services or to schedule a free consultation, contact us today.