West Palm Beach Medication Error Lawyer

The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy estimates that medication errors harm nearly 1.5 million people across the country every year.

Patients rely on their doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to provide crucial medications. Unfortunately, medication errors can occur at almost every stage of the healthcare process.

When a patient receives the wrong dosage of a medication, is prescribed the wrong medication, or is injured because of a bad combination of medication, they can experience debilitating and even deadly injuries.

If a person has been injured because of a medication error, a West Palm Beach medication error lawyer may be able to help file a lawsuit against the doctor, pharmacist, nurse, hospital, or care facility. To discuss your claim in more detail or learn more, consult with a medical malpractice attorney today.

Medication Error Definition

The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention defines a medication error as follows:

“A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer. Such events may be related to professional practice, healthcare products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing, order communication, product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature, compounding, dispensing, distribution, administration, education, monitoring, and use.”

It may be surprising to learn medication errors in hospitals and other healthcare facilities are exceedingly common. According to a report issued, by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, researchers estimated that hospitals make at least one medication error per hospital patient per day.

Perhaps the key to a medication error lawsuit is the very definition of a medication error, “a medication error is any preventable event.” Medication errors are largely preventable and are often the result of one or more people involved in a patient’s treatment not communicating or by making an error administering a medication.

If a patient is injured as a result of a medication error, they may have the right to file a medical malpractice claim against their doctor. However, it is important that a patient understands that medications often result in complications, which may not support a negligence lawsuit.

In order for a patient to file a lawsuit based on a medication error, a patient must show that the doctor was directly responsible for their injury.

However, these issues are often complex and require thorough examination and review. Therefore, if a person has been injured as a result of a medication error, they should contact a West Palm Beach medication error lawyer.

Common Medication Errors

Medication errors can occur at any stage of the healthcare process and may be caused by a number of people who are involved in an individual patient’s care. Some of the most common causes of errors that should result in contact with a West Palm Beach medication error lawyer include:

• Incorrect diagnosis
• Prescribing errors
• Medication and dose miscalculations
• Drug and drug device related problems
• Incorrect drug administration
• Failed communication between doctors and staff
• Poor patient education
• Poor drug distribution practices
• Failing to timely administer the appropriate dose of an ordered medicine
• Failing to order the proper medicine under the circumstances

Unfortunately, medication errors are not often harmless mistakes. With the number of powerful medications, a doctor can prescribe, even a small error can result in debilitating and even fatal injuries.

In fact, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies estimates that drug-related injuries from medication errors cost 3.5 billion dollars a year.

Talk to a West Palm Beach Medication Error Attorney Today

If you or someone you love has been injured or killed as a result of a medication error you may be entitled to file a lawsuit against your healthcare provider. Contact a West Palm Beach medication error lawyer to discuss your case.