When Maryland residents become sick or injured and need to take medication, they generally trust their medical professionals and pharmacists to give them the right medication, dosage, and instructions. However, as past victims of Maryland pharmacy errors can tell you, that unfortunately does not always happen. Doctors, medical personnel, and pharmacists are human, and will occasionally make mistakes. Unfortunately, those mistakes can be deadly.
For example, take a recent error where a 55-year-old man was given ten times the amount of pain relief medication than he should have been, tragically causing him to pass away. The victim—a painter and decorator—had been taking pethidine for some time to deal with back pain from a prior incident. However, he was then switched to methadone, as there was a shortage of pethidine. When calculating how much methadone to give the man, the pharmacist made a fatal error—he believed that the methadone was of the equivalent strength to pethidine. However, 5mg of methadone is actually the equivalent of 50mg of pethidine. Because the pharmacist did not double-check, and did not know this, he gave the victim ten times the amount of medication he should have.
Just a few days after taking this medication, the victim was found dead in his home by his son. A post mortem report found that he died in part due to methadone toxicity. After his death, his daughter also discovered a methadone leaflet, which warned patients not to take methadone if they had a lung condition—which her father had. This also raised questions as to why he was prescribed methadone in the first place.
Tragically for the victim and his loved ones, nothing can undo his death or bring him back. However, this case is a perfect example of why the law allows victims of Maryland pharmacy and prescription errors to file a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent pharmacy or pharmacist. Even if the patient in the case passes away and cannot bring the suit themselves, the state allows their family to pursue a claim. When these suits are successful, they can result in monetary damages paid from the defendant to the plaintiff. These damages can cover past and future medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more.
Have You Lost a Loved One Due to a Suspected Maryland Pharmacy Error?
If you have recently lost a loved one due to a confirmed or suspected Maryland pharmacy error, you may be entitled to financial compensation from the pharmacy or pharmacist responsible for the tragedy. To learn more about your options, and how to file suit to recover, call the personal injury attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC today. Our skilled attorneys have brought claims on behalf of many Maryland clients just like you, and have knowledge, skill, and dedication necessary to hold negligent pharmacists accountable for their actions. To learn more about how we can assist you and your family through this difficult time, call us today at 800-654-1949, or fill out our online form.