Medical professionals hold tremendous responsibility when prescribing medications, as even minor errors can result in devastating consequences for patients who trust their expertise. When doctors, pharmacists, or other healthcare providers make mistakes with prescriptions, the resulting injuries can range from uncomfortable side effects to life-threatening complications that forever change a patient’s quality of life.
If you’ve suffered harm due to improperly prescribed medication, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim. At Hollis Law Firm, we have been advocating for injury victims in Kansas City and Missouri for over 15 years, helping clients understand their rights when medical errors cause preventable harm.
Understanding Prescription Errors
Prescription medication errors occur in various forms throughout the healthcare system. These mistakes can happen during the prescribing process, pharmacy dispensing, or patient administration. Each type of error carries the potential for serious patient harm.
Common prescription errors include prescribing the wrong medication entirely, selecting incorrect dosages, failing to account for drug interactions, and overlooking patient allergies. Healthcare providers may also prescribe medications that are contraindicated for patients with certain medical conditions or fail to provide adequate instructions for proper use.
The consequences of these errors can be immediate or develop gradually over time. Some patients experience severe allergic reactions, while others may suffer organ damage from medications that conflict with their health conditions.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
Multiple parties may bear responsibility for prescription medication injuries. Doctors who prescribe inappropriate medications without properly reviewing patient histories or conducting necessary tests can face liability. Pharmacists who dispense incorrect medications or fail to catch dangerous drug interactions also have legal obligations to patients.
Hospitals and medical facilities may be held accountable when their systems or protocols contribute to prescription errors. This includes situations where poor communication between departments leads to mistakes or when inadequate record-keeping systems result in overlooked allergies or contraindications.
Elements of a Prescription Error Claim
Proving a prescription error claim requires establishing several key elements that demonstrate medical negligence occurred. These cases hinge on showing that healthcare providers failed to meet the accepted standard of care in their treatment decisions.
The first element involves proving that a doctor-patient relationship existed, establishing the healthcare provider’s duty to provide competent care. Next, you must demonstrate that the healthcare provider breached the standard of care expected in their profession. This means showing that a competent medical professional in similar circumstances would have acted differently.
Causation and Damages
Establishing causation requires proving that the prescription error directly caused your injuries. This can be challenging when patients have multiple health conditions or are taking several medications simultaneously. Medical experts must analyze the specific circumstances to determine whether the prescription error was the primary cause of harm.
Finally, you must document the damages you suffered as a result of the prescription error. These damages can include:
- Additional medical treatment costs for addressing medication-related complications
- Lost wages from time away from work during recovery
- Pain and suffering endured due to preventable medical complications
- Long-term health consequences requiring ongoing medical care
These various forms of compensation help address both the immediate and long-term impacts of prescription medication errors.
Common Types of Prescription Medication Cases
Certain types of prescription errors occur more frequently and often result in serious patient harm. Wrong medication cases happen when patients receive entirely different drugs than what their doctors intended to prescribe. These errors can occur due to similar-sounding medication names or illegible handwriting on prescription pads.
Dosage errors represent another common category, where patients receive too much or too little of their prescribed medication. Drug interaction cases arise when healthcare providers fail to consider how new prescriptions will interact with medications patients are already taking.
Contraindication cases involve prescribing medications that should not be given to patients with specific health conditions. These cases often involve healthcare providers who fail to thoroughly review patient medical histories or who don’t properly communicate with other doctors treating the same patient.
Protect Your Rights After a Prescription Error
If you suspect that improperly prescribed medication has caused you harm, taking prompt action protects both your health and your legal rights. The sooner we can begin investigating your case, the better chance we have of preserving crucial evidence and building a strong foundation for your claim.
At Hollis Law Firm, we have collected over $100 million in settlements and judgments for our clients, and we understand the complexities involved in prescription error cases. Our legal team will thoroughly investigate your situation, work with qualified medical experts, and fight to secure the compensation you deserve for your preventable injuries. Don’t let healthcare providers escape accountability for prescription mistakes that have harmed you—contact us at (800) 701-3672 or through our contact form to discuss your case today.
