Maryland Medication & Pharmaceutical Errors Lawyer
When a doctor prescribes medication to a patient, it is a complex process. It’s not as easy as filling out a prescription pad. There are errors that can occur along the way, and at any step, from writing the prescription to giving the drug to the patient.
Medication and pharmaceutical errors happen frequently. One of the most common prescription drug errors is incorrectly prescribed medication. This could mean the wrong dosage or the wrong drug altogether. Other common issues involve incorrect diagnosis, dose miscalculations, incorrect drug administration, drug-related problems, miscommunication, and lack of patient education.
Have you been impacted by prescription drug errors? If so, seek legal help from a Maryland pharmacy error lawyer at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman.
Types of Errors
Many drug errors are preventable but they still occur because systems for prescribing and ordering medication are not appropriately used. Illegible handwritten prescriptions commonly lead to errors. Errors may also occur due to the following:
- Missing information about co-prescribed medications
- Allergic sensitivities
- Incorrect drug or dose
- Sound-alike prescriptions that are transmitted orally
- Similar-looking names when prescriptions are handwritten
- The prescription is never transmitted to a pharmacy
- The prescription is never filled by the patient
When it comes to drug administration, communication is one of the biggest issues. Patients don’t think about medication errors and don’t know what can happen. Because of this, they typically do not take an active role in the communication process.
Errors occur quite frequently when there is unclear communication regarding factors such as:
- Drug name
- Drug appearance
- Dosage (how much to take)
- Frequency (how often to take it)
- Best time to take it
- Reason for taking the drug
- Common side effects
- Interactions with food or other drugs
- What happens when the patient misses a dose
Prescription drugs are not the only medications that are misunderstood. There could also be errors with over-the-counter medications due to labels that are not sufficiently read or understood. It is also possible that medical providers are not aware when patients are taking over-the-counter medications.
When Are Medical Professionals Liable?
While medical professionals do not purposely commit medication errors, they can still be liable for any harm caused by these errors. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are trained to deliver health care that is free of errors.
When errors are discovered, the medical professional involved is often blamed. The medical staff may be punished in the form of fines and license suspension.
Contact Us Today
Medications are supposed to help people feel better. When a person is given the wrong dosage or the wrong medication altogether, it can cause serious injury and even death.
Medication errors can be caused by doctors and pharmacies. If you have been affected, seek legal help from a personal injury lawyer at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman. We can help you file a claim and hold the responsible party liable for your damages. To schedule a free consultation, call (410) 567-0800.
