When you trust a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist with your health, you expect them to prescribe and dispense the right medication. Unfortunately, medication mistakes are more common than most people realize — and they can have serious, sometimes life-threatening consequences.
At Burnside Law Firm, serving Augusta and Athens, GA, we understand how devastating medication errors can be. If you or a loved one has suffered harm because of a preventable mistake, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
The Scope of the Problem
Medication errors are one of the most common types of preventable medical mistakes in the United States. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency receives more than 100,000 reports of suspected medication errors every year. The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention estimates that 1.5 million people are injured by medication errors annually.
These mistakes can happen in various healthcare settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Pharmacies
- Nursing homes
- Outpatient clinics
In some cases, the error is caught in time. But when it isn’t, the consequences can range from minor side effects to severe injury or even death.
Types of Medication Mistakes
Medication errors can occur at any point in the prescribing, dispensing, or administration process. Some of the most common types include:
- Wrong medication: Patients are given the incorrect drug due to miscommunication, similar drug names, or labeling errors.
- Incorrect dosage: The prescribed dose may be too high or too low, leading to harmful side effects or lack of effectiveness.
- Wrong route of administration: For example, a medication meant to be taken orally may be mistakenly injected.
- Failure to account for drug interactions: A patient is prescribed a medication that negatively interacts with another drug they are already taking.
- Allergic reactions: Failure to review a patient’s medical history and known allergies before prescribing.
- Mislabeling or unclear instructions: Pharmacists may provide unclear dosage instructions or fail to include critical information.
Most of these errors are preventable and often stem from negligence, poor communication, understaffing, or system failures within healthcare facilities.
When Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
Not every medication error is grounds for a medical malpractice claim. To have a valid case, you must prove that:
- A healthcare provider owed you a duty of care.
- That duty was breached through negligence or error.
- The breach directly caused you harm.
- You suffered damages as a result (such as medical expenses, lost income, or pain and suffering).
If you’ve experienced serious injury, hospitalization, or long-term health issues due to a medication mistake, it’s important to consult an experienced personal injury attorney. Medical malpractice cases involving medication errors can be complex, often requiring expert testimony and thorough investigation.
At Burnside Law Firm, we’re dedicated to helping victims of medical negligence in Augusta and Athens hold healthcare providers accountable. We can evaluate your case, explain your legal options, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your medication error case.
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