Hospital Medication Errors

Monday, January 27, 2020

Hospital Medication Errors

Written by Malman Law, reviewed by Steve J. Malman.

When you spend time in the hospital, you rightfully expect that you will receive care that is safe. That it will improve your health or, at the very least, not be hazardous to it. Still, every day medication errors occur in hospitals across the nation. Sometimes they are minor errors and there are no adverse outcomes, but other times, they are severe enough to be deadly. 

Each year the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) receives more than 100,000 reports associated with a suspected medication error. If you or someone you love become victim to one of these errors, a personal injury lawyer can help. The hospital, as well as other parties, could owe you monetary compensation for any injuries the medication error caused. 

What Causes Hospital Medication Errors?

Medication errors within a hospital setting can happen when the physician is ordering them, such as prescribing the wrong dose. They can occur when the pharmacy staff is dispensing the medication, such as dispensing the wrong drug. These errors can also happen at the bedside when nurses are providing care. A patient could receive too much medication or medication too frequently. 

Many factors can be attributed to causing a medication error. Common causes of these errors often include:

• Lack of adequately trained staff
• Sleep deprivation
• Language barriers
• Medication sound-alike names
• Lack of information about a patient 

However, these are no excuses for causing injury to a patient. Hospitals have worked to put procedures in place that help decrease medication errors, and even though they may have reduced their incidence, they are still happening. 

Proving a Hospital Medication Error Case

Your personal injury attorney should be well-versed in what elements must be shown to have a successful medication error claim. First, they must prove that a medical professional did not provide the same level of care that another similarly trained and educated healthcare professional would have provided in a similar situation. This is typically done with the use of expert witnesses who are highly-trained in the same area of medicine as the defendant. 

Next, they will need to establish that the substandard care provided to you was the cause of your harm. Finally, there must be evidence to show that the harm you suffered caused your damages, such as additional medical bills and pain and suffering. 

Call a Hospital Medication Error Personal Injury Attorney Today

Winning a hospital medication error case can be quite tricky, but with the right personal injury lawyer on your side, it can be done. You need a lawyer who is willing to dig deep into how this error happened and show how it has impacted your life or the life of your loved ones. It is crucial that you speak to an attorney as soon as possible after your injuries as vital evidence can be lost, and your legal right to seek compensation is time-barred. 

Our attorneys will provide you with a free no-obligation consultation. All you need to do is contact Malman Law. We can be reached at (312) 629-0099 or use our online contact form.