Medication errors are one form of medical malpractice that occurs when a doctor or other medical professional administers the wrong medication or the wrong amount of the correct medication. Either way, a medication error can lead to grave consequences, including death. If you believe a medication error has occurred in your treatment, it’s important for you to understand you rights as a victim.
Healthcare professionals are trained to think of the five rights when it comes to administering medication. The five rights include the right administration time, the right administration route, the right patient, the right dose, and the right medication. Failing to provide any of these rights could lead to serious injuries that are often hard to detect in the beginning. Victims may believe they are just experiencing negative side effects of the medication, but in reality, they could be suffering from something as serious as organ damage or a fatal allergic reaction.
There are a number of parties that could be held liable for medication errors, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and pharmaceutical manufacturers. To determine who is liable, you will need to figure out where the medication error occurred. Who administered the wrong medication? Who prescribed it? These questions need to be answered to determine who may be liable for your injuries.
Although determining liability may seem easy, it’s actually quite complicated. It often involves using the testimony of medical experts who can prove without a doubt the injuries you suffered would not have occurred without the medication error.
Securing these expert witnesses and getting down to the bottom of who is liable is much easier when you have an experienced personal injury attorney on your team. Our attorneys can analyze your case, gather the evidence, and present a strong case to help you recover the damages you deserve.
If you or a loved one believe your doctor has made a medication error, speak to an attorney before discussing the matter with your healthcare provider. Getting an attorney involved early on can help, since an attorney can guide you on how to get the evidence you need to prove liability in court. Because there are tight deadlines for filing a lawsuit related to medication errors, the sooner you speak to an attorney to begin the process, the better.
To speak with a personal injury attorney today, Contact Shegerian Conniff to schedule a free legal consultation.