Earlier this month in Bend, Oregon, a 65-year-old woman died as a result of a medication mix-up that occurred at a local hospital. According to a report by one local news source, the woman was admitted to the hospital for a brain surgery a few days prior and came back to the hospital with a dosage question regarding her anti-seizure medication.
Evidently, instead of providing the woman with her anti-seizure medication, the hospital pharmacy provided her with a powerful paralyzing agent that is usually reserved for surgeries. The woman stopped breathing shortly after taking the medication and went into cardiac arrest. The hospital took her off life support a short time later, and she was pronounced dead.
In official statements, the hospital has admitted that the incident was its fault, but it is still conducting an investigation into how exactly the fatal medication mix-up occurred. The woman’s family described their reaction as “pure anger” when they found out that their loved one died as a result of a preventable mistake. At the time of the article’s publication, the family was not sure if they are going to pursue legal action against the hospital.
Pharmacy Errors Are More Common Than Most Realize
Each year, it is estimated that between 200,000 and 400,000 people die as a result of preventable medication errors. This figure includes medical mix-ups like the one in this case, as well as medical malpractice cases.
Whenever there is a serious injury or death that is caused by a medication error, the victim of that error (or the victim’s family, in fatal cases) is entitled to bring a civil claim against those he or she feels is responsible for the harm. In many cases, these lawsuits will name multiple parties, including the hospital, head pharmacist, individual technician, and any parent corporation that operates the hospital or pharmacy.
Pharmacy error cases can be extremely complex and may require the assistance of an expert to relay the necessary information to the court. In such cases, it is imperative that your attorney work hand in hand with the selected expert in order to make sure that the case is airtight. It is also likely that the defendant will retain an expert of its own, so making sure that your expert understands your case is of critical importance.
Have You been Injured By a Pharmaceutical Error?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured by some kind of medication mix-up, whether it occurred at a stand-alone pharmacy or at a hospital, you may be entitled to monetary damages. To learn more about pharmacy error cases, and to speak to a dedicated Maryland personal injury about your potential case, contact one of the skilled attorneys at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The dedicated attorneys at Lebowitz & Mzhen have decades of experience recovering for their clients in all kinds of cases, including pharmacy error cases. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
New Zealand Man Dies Due to Pharmacist’s Error, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, September 3, 2014.
Pharmacist Overprescribes Blood-Thinner, Causing Man to Cough Up Blood, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, October 9, 2014.