One-third of adults in the United States take 5 or more medications daily, and there are over 10,000 prescription medications from which clinicians can choose, all of which have their own dosages, instructions, and routes of administration. Unfortunately, this leaves a great deal of room for error. If you or a loved one has experienced an injury, illness or another adverse effect from a medication error made by your physician, clinician or pharmacy, contact Youman & Caputo for a free case evaluation. We are dedicated Philadelphia medication error lawyers who can help you understand your legal rights and pursue fair financial compensation.
Medication errors, sometimes called adverse drug events, are one of the most common preventable medical mistakes in all medical care settings. They occur in both the outpatient and inpatient setting as well as during the transition from inpatient to outpatient. Medication errors are mistakes made by those in charge of prescribing and administering drugs, including doctors, nurses and pharmacies. They can describe:
Medication errors are estimated to account for 700,000 emergency department visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year. In addition, a staggering 5% of hospitalized patients experience a medication error. Medication errors are likewise common in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
While most hospitals, long-term care facilities, pharmacies and physician offices have the required policies in place to avoid medication errors, these errors continue to happen because of system flaws, failure to follow proper safety procedures, human error, and poor safety culture. When a preventable medication error causes patient harm, the victim can file a Philadelphia medical malpractice lawsuit for compensation.
Medication errors generally fall into four categories: Ordering, Transcribing, Dispensing, and Administration.
Any type of avoidable medication error in Philadelphia could entitle you to financial compensation from the at-fault doctor, health care professional or drug distributor.
The wrong medication delivered in the wrong way can have devastating consequences – including injury or death. Medication errors can also result in overdosages, under dosages, allergic reactions, or a number of other avoidable, unintended consequences. A victim who does not receive the correct medication may not be able to recover from his or her health condition, for example. In addition, receiving the wrong medication could result in dangerous drug interactions or other health consequences.
For example, in the DiTore case, a surgeon injected a young woman undergoing routine sinus surgery with the wrong drug because the nurse had mixed up the drugs and the doctor and patient care team had failed to follow safety protocols involving communication and drug labeling designed to prevent such mix-ups. The patient went into cardiac arrest and suffered permanent brain damage.
Philadelphia brain injury attorney Andy Youman represented the family in the resulting Montgomery County case, and he won a $5.1 million jury verdict for the family.
Medication errors also come with legal consequences. In Pennsylvania, a patient who has been injured because of a medication error may have the right to bring a personal injury lawsuit against one or more parties. Identifying the liable or at-fault party may require an in-depth investigation by a law firm. Liable parties may include:
In Philadelphia, a successful medical malpractice, product liability or personal injury lawsuit for a medication error (based on the circumstances) could result in financial compensation given to you for your related economic and non-economic damages. If this type of error has injured you, you may be eligible for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, legal expenses, and more.
Hiring the right attorney can make a major difference to your medication error lawsuit in Philadelphia. You should be able to trust your lawyer to handle the legal legwork of your case from beginning to end, including filing your claim and negotiating for fair financial compensation – all while you concentrate on healing from your injuries.
It is important to find an attorney who understands how medication processes work in various settings and who knows the right questions to ask in medication error cases. The attorneys at Youman & Caputo have significant experience in these cases – and the results to show for it. If you or someone you know has suffered a medication error in Philadelphia, contact us today at (215) 302-1999 for a free consultation.
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