Prescription Errors Due to Medical Malpractice

The purpose of medication is to cure an illness, treat an illness, relieve symptoms of disease, or alleviate side effects. While medication can and is intended to do all of these things, if used not prescribed appropriately it can lead to significant patient harm, including wrongful death. Unfortunately, it is all too common that prescription errors are made. Each year in the United States, approximately 7,000-9,000 people die as a result of a medication error.  When a patient is harmed as the result of prescription errors due to medical malpractice, it is considered to be negligence. 

 

How Do Prescription Errors Occur?

 

There are many ways in which prescription errors can occur. Prescription errors can occur due to a variety of reasons, including the following: poor communication, failure to obtain a complete medical history, understaffing, novice physicians, nurses, or pharmacists who do not have proper supervision, failing to ensure that the person prescribing or dispensing is not dispensing a medication the patient is allergic to, amongst many other reasons. 

 

Examples of Prescription Errors

 

• Prescribing the patient a drug that they are allergic too
• Prescribing too high or too low of a dose of medication, leading to patient harm
• Prescribing a drug via the wrong route (i.e. oral instead of topical)
• Prescribing a medication that will interact with another medication that the patient is taking
• Dispensing the wrong medication to the wrong patient
• Failure to inform the patient about any potential side effects they may experience, along with precautions (i..e they cannot operate a motor vehicle while using the medication)
• Dispensing a mislabeled drug, leading to a patient receiving the wrong medication
• Improperly mixing a drug for dispensing, leading to a patient receiving too much or too little of a drug
• Failure to check the patient’s allergy history
• Prescribing a drug that is contraindicated 
• Prescribing a drug when it is not safe for the patient (i.e. administering a drug that causes renal toxicity in a patient with significant renal impairment)

 

Patient Injury Due to Prescription Errors

 

There are many ways in which a patient can be harmed due to prescription errors made by doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. Examples of possible harm due to prescription errors include the following:

 

• Anaphylactic reaction
• Death
• Seizures or other cognitive impairment
• Organ function impairment (i.e. renal impairment, hepatic impairment, etc.)
• Bone marrow damage due to toxicity of a drug
• Exacerbation of illness if the wrong dose is prescribed
• Nausea/vomiting
• Hypotension (low blood pressure)
• Bradycardia (low heart rate)
• Dizziness

 

Medical Malpractice in Relation to Prescription Errors

 

There are many ways in which prescription errors can be related to medical malpractice. Generally speaking, prescription errors are almost always the result of medical malpractice. If a patient suffers harm due to an error made by a healthcare provider’s error in prescribing medication, it is negligence. Prescription errors happen all too common due to human error or computer error. Regardless, it is the medical professional who is dispensing the medication, so errors should be caught before the prescription reaches the patient. 

 

Prescription Errors Due to Medical Malpractice

 

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.

 

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.

 

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.