Types of Medication Errors
Medication errors are among the most common and preventable forms of medical malpractice. These errors can occur at any stage of the medication process, from prescribing to dispensing to administration. When healthcare professionals fail to follow proper protocols, patients can suffer serious and sometimes fatal consequences.
Common types of medication errors include:
- Wrong medication: Prescribing or dispensing a drug that was not intended for the patient
- Incorrect dosage: Administering too much or too little of a medication
- Wrong route of administration: Giving medication orally when it should be injected, or vice versa
- Drug interactions: Failing to check for dangerous interactions between multiple medications
- Wrong patient: Administering medication intended for a different patient
- Timing errors: Giving medication at the wrong time or failing to administer it at all
Who Can Be Held Liable
Multiple parties may bear responsibility when a medication error injures a patient. Identifying all liable parties is critical to ensuring you receive full compensation for your injuries. Our attorneys conduct thorough investigations to determine every party whose negligence contributed to the error.
Potentially liable parties include:
- Prescribing physicians who write incorrect prescriptions or fail to review patient history
- Pharmacists who dispense the wrong drug, wrong dosage, or fail to flag interactions
- Nurses and hospital staff who administer medications incorrectly
- Hospitals and medical facilities with inadequate medication management systems
- Pharmacy chains whose understaffing or rushed procedures lead to dispensing errors
Under Florida law, healthcare providers owe a duty of care to their patients. When that duty is breached through a medication error, victims have the right to pursue compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Common Injuries From Medication Errors
The consequences of a medication error can range from mild discomfort to life-threatening medical emergencies. In some cases, patients suffer permanent organ damage or even death as a result of receiving the wrong medication or dosage.
Injuries commonly associated with medication errors include:
- Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis
- Organ damage, including liver and kidney failure
- Internal bleeding or hemorrhaging
- Cardiac complications, including heart attack
- Worsening of the original condition due to untreated illness
- Neurological damage and seizures
- Wrongful death
How We Can Help
At Roselli & McNelis, our trial attorneys have extensive experience handling medication error cases throughout Florida, Texas and the United States. We understand the complex medical and legal issues involved in these claims and work with leading medical experts to build compelling cases on behalf of our clients.
When you choose our firm, we will investigate the circumstances of the error, identify all responsible parties, and fight aggressively to recover the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys handle medication error cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case.
If you or a loved one has been harmed by a medication error, contact Roselli & McNelis today for a free, confidential consultation. Time limits apply to medical malpractice claims in Florida, so it is important to act promptly to protect your legal rights.