Prescriptions errors can occur in a number of ways. Perhaps the most commonly seen prescription error, however, is when a pharmacist provides one patient’s properly filled prescription to another patient. The patient who receives the incorrect medication risks having an adverse reaction to the unprescribed pills and also risks an exacerbation of their current condition, due to not receiving their prescribed medication.
Prescription errors can often be prevented by a patient’s vigilance. However, the burden of ensuring the safe dispensing of medication should not lie with the patient. Indeed, the law allows for patients who have been injured as a result of a pharmacist’s mistake to seek compensation for their injuries through a personal injury lawsuit.
Many lawsuits brought against allegedly negligent pharmacists are defended in a similar manner. Specifically, the pharmacist will argue that the patient’s injuries were not caused by the pharmacist’s mistake. Since the burden rests with the patient to prove their case, this tactic can work for many pharmacists. However, an experienced personal injury attorney can assist pharmacy error victims by seeking out reliable and credible medical experts to explain to the judge or jury whether the ingestion of a foreign medication may have caused a new illness or disease or exacerbated an existing one.
Canadian Woman Given the Wrong Medication by Local Pharmacy
Earlier this month, a Canadian woman was provided the wrong medication by her local pharmacy. According to a local news report, the woman’s vigilance paid off, since she was able to recognize that the blister packs she was provided did not match what she had previously been taking.
Evidently, the woman was prescribed medication for high blood pressure and another ailment. She was supposed to take two pills every morning. Upon picking up her refill, she noticed that there were many more pills than usual, and the directions instructed her to take eight pills in the morning, as well as more in the afternoon and evening. The woman took the medication back to the pharmacy and received an apology. Thankfully, she did not take any of the unprescribed medication. The woman made a statement to reporters, explaining that “there has to be a better system to label the bag or some kind of reference check.”
Have You Been a Victim of a Pharmacist’s Negligence?
If you or a loved one has recently been a victim of a pharmacy error, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The skilled personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at the Maryland-based law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have decades of experience helping their clients seek the compensation they need and deserve. We understand that personal injury cases are more than just a set of facts and that our clients’ lives are greatly affected by the quality of our representation, so we take every precaution to ensure that our clients are well-represented throughout the trial process. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Registered Nurses Too Often Fail as a Last Line of Defense Against Medication Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, January 23, 2017.
Family of Pharmacy Error Victim Disappointed with Pharmacist’s Two-Month Suspension, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, February 1, 2017.