Nashville Prescription Errors and Malpractice
When given medication, you expect that your condition should get better with time. Sometimes, though, prescription errors can occur. When these errors happen, your condition could get worse, and new conditions could even manifest. If you suffer from a prescription error, contact Lerner and Rowe for a free consultation.
What is a Prescription Error?
A prescription error occurs when a doctor/physician, nurse, or other healthcare professional prescribes or administers medication in an incorrect fashion. Some examples of prescription errors are as follows:
- A nurse or other healthcare professional administers the wrong medication
- Medication is administered in the wrong part of the body (e.g. in a vein instead of a muscle)
- Medication is given in an incorrect form (e.g. crushed pills instead of injection)
- A healthcare professional prescribes the wrong dosage/frequency of medication
- A patient receives medication meant for someone else
- Medication is given without warnings about allergic reactions or possible side effects
Prescription errors are not minor mistakes. Much of the time, prescription errors can result in serious health consequences for the patient. In fact, a prescription error can even result in wrongful death.
Who is Responsible?
Essentially, anyone involved in the prescribing and administering of medication could be potentially responsible for prescription errors and malpractice. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals could all make mistakes at any step of the process, from the prescription itself to when the patient takes the medication.
How to Identify Malpractice
When dealing with something as serious as prescription errors and malpractice, it’s important to know how to identify key markers for your personal injury case. Some things to keep in mind are the following:
- Medical Relationship – There must have been a medical relationship between the healthcare professional and the patient at the time the prescription error/injury occurred. This can be established usually through medication receipts, doctors’ notes, medical charts, and other documents.
- Negligent Action – The healthcare professional must have acted negligently. This means that they behaved outside the bounds of reasonable care. Any other healthcare professional in a similar situation would have acted with more care and prudence.
- Resultant Harm – Your injury must have come directly from the healthcare professional’s negligence. In other words, were it not for negligence, you would not have gotten injured. For instance, because of a prescription error, you took too much medication and suffered kidney failure. This is a malpractice injury due to negligence.
What Can Be Done?
There are a few things you can do if you suffered a medical malpractice injury. Try to remember these crucial points:
- Seek Medical Help – If you suffered an injury of any kind, seek medical attention right away. Prescription error injuries can be especially serious, so don’t hesitate to get help.
- Gather Evidence – Keep track of important details such as when you saw your healthcare professional, what they prescribed, whether they provided specific instructions, etc.
- Consult Legal Aid – Contact the professionals at Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. Our medical malpractice team will work hard for your rightful compensation.
- Focus on Healing – Concentrate your energy on recovering. Let our team focus on your legal situation while you focus on your health and well-being.
Suffer a Nashville Prescription Error Injury Due to Malpractice?
Suffering an injury can be difficult. Suffering additional injury due to malpractice can be even worse. If you or someone you know suffered a prescription error injury, contact Lerner and Rowe Injury Attorneys. We work with medical professionals and other experts for the compensation you deserve.
Visit us in our office Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can also call us anytime at 615-333-8888. Furthermore, you can get in touch with us online through a contact form or through our convenient LiveChat feature. Consultations are free, and we don’t collect any fees until we win your case. Don’t wait; call us today!