Medication errors are estimated to affect over 7 million people per year. While many of these errors do not result in patient hospitalization or even patient injury, the fact is that medication errors are a very real threat and patients should double-check all prescriptions for errors before taking any medication. If you have questions about possible errors with your medication, contact a Maryland pharmacy error attorney.
Most medication errors are the result of a pharmacist – either in a retail seating or in a hospital – improperly filling a patient’s prescription. However, there are other less common types of errors that patients should be aware of. For example, each year many mistakes are the result of a pharmacist’s incorrect advice.
Pharmacists’ primary role is to safely fill all prescriptions and counsel patients on their medications. However, pharmacists are also there to answer a patient’s questions regarding over-the-counter medications. Such questions are commonly based on an over-the-counter medication’s potential interactions with prescribed medication that may not have been filled at the pharmacy. Other errors involve incorrect advice regarding medication that is available in varying strengths, some of which may be available over-the-counter.
Family Seeks Compensation for Pet’s Death after Pharmacist’s Mistake
Earlier this month, a news report discussed a recently filed case against Walmart based on allegations that a Walmart pharmacist provided incorrect advice that lead to the death of a family pet. According to the report, a couple took their Labrador retriever to the vet, where the dog was diagnosed with diabetes. The vet wrote a prescription for Novalin N insulin, and the couple took the prescription to their local Walmart to have it filled.
Evidently, when the couple got to the pharmacy, the pharmacist directed them to an over-the-counter version of the medication, Novalin R. The pharmacist sold the couple the Novalin R, and the couple went home to administer the medication to their dog. Sadly, the animal later died. The dog’s owners claim that the pharmacist’s advice to give their pet the over-the-counter medication rather than the prescription medicine that the veterinarian prescribed resulted in their pet’s death. The family recently filed a negligence lawsuit against the pharmacy seeking compensation for the loss of the family pet.
Have You Been the Victim of a Maryland Pharmacy Error?
If you or someone you love has recently been the victim of a Maryland pharmacy error or other instance of Maryland medical malpractice, call the dedicated personal injury lawyers at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen, LLC. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, we represent accident victims across Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia in all types of claims, including medical error claims, car accidents, and slip-and-fall accidents. We provide free consultations to accident victims in which we will discuss the process of pursuing compensation as well as how we can help. To learn more, call 410-654-3600 to schedule your free consultation to speak with a dedicated Maryland personal injury lawyer today.
More Blog Posts:
Court Rejects Defendant’s Claim that Plaintiff’s Case Was Filed Too Late, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, November 30, 2018.
Recent Study Finds Older People Are at a Higher Risk of Experiencing a Medication Error in Maryland and Throughout the Country, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, December 10, 2018.