Prescription Drug Mistakes - Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

When most people think of medical malpractice cases they think of conditions that were misdiagnosed or errors in surgery. Prescribing or dispensing the wrong medication is often overlooked but it is one of the most common errors made in hospitals and nursing homes today. Prescription drug mistakes can result in devastating consequences which include death.

Most prescription drug mistakes are the result of negligence on the part of a medical care provider. Having the responsibility for caring for several patients at one time could lead to mix ups in who gets what medication. To eliminate confusion, hospitals and nursing homes have strict guidelines for all workers to follow before dispensing medication however mistakes can still happen.

Physicians can also make mistakes prescribing medication. They may fail to check with your other doctors to see how a medication one has prescribed will interact with another. The doctor could also make a mistake in writing the instructions for the prescription or the proper dosage which could lead to problems. A number of prescription medications require that you are closely monitored while taking the drug and there are times when doctors and their staff fail to do this. The popular blood thinner, Coumidin, is one drug which if not closely monitored can lead to serious health issues.

Pharmacists who dispense the drugs have also been known to make mistakes. Did they transcribe the physician's orders properly? Did they dispense the right drug or mix it up with something else they were working on? Safeguards are in place at all pharmacies to prevent these types of problems but no system is fool proof.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of a prescription drug mistake, you can sue the people responsible in court. A medical malpractice and negligence attorney will seek damages to cover your medical expenses, any lost wages and the pain and suffering that resulted from being given the wrong medication. You may also be able to collect punitive damages if the act of the person responsible is considered to be particularly reckless.

For more information on medical malpractice lawsuits as well as slip and fall accidents, defective products / product liability lawsuits, wrongful death lawsuits, and car and auto accident lawsuits, it is important to speak with our team of personal injury / auto accident attorneys in Kansas City, Missouri.