Medication errors are the errors in prescribing, dispensing or administration of a drug. Such errors occur due to the negligence of doctors, nurses, pharmacists or any health care professional. Medication errors can include a wide range of errors such as giving patients the wrong medication, failure to proper monitor on powerful drugs or lack of communication between hospitals and GPs. A few medication errors are fatal and can result in severe Personal injuries or even death.
Approximately, 1.1 million people are Personal injured every year in the United States due to medication errors. An improper dose of medicine accounts for 53% of fatal medication errors. In comparison to adolescents and children, elderly people are more likely to suffer due to medication errors as they often take multiple prescription medications.
Types of Medication Errors:
1. Prescribing errors
2. Omission errors
3. Wrong drug preparation errors
4. Incorrect dose errors
5. Improper dosing errors
6. Fragmented care errors
Causes of Medication Errors:
1. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
2. Surgical mistakes
3. Lack of knowledge or understanding
4. Missed patient information
5. Memory lapse
6. Errors when writing or reading prescriptions
7. Pharmacist negligence
8. Poor understanding of the directions for drug use
How To Get the Compensation
It is necessary to choose an attorney with the proven track record in handling complex medication errors cases. The majority of attorneys implement effective strategies that help to obtain the maximum compensation. For the victim, it is vital to find an adept attorney with years of experience in representing patients who have been seriously injured due to the medication errors.