Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
By any account, pharmacists do not have an easy job. They often fill hundreds of prescriptions per shift, meet with dozens of clients for consultations, and must also maintain their internal inventory systems throughout the day. Pharmacists are human, and with these burdens being placed upon them day after day, it is no surprise that the rate of pharmacy errors is as high as it is.
According to one news report that discussed a study it conducted of Chicago-area pharmacies, 52% of all pharmacies surveyed failed to warn patients about a dangerous drug interaction. This study didn’t take into account other types of pharmacy errors, such as providing the patient with the wrong dose of medication or the wrong type of medication altogether. The news agency looked mostly at both independent and national-chain pharmacies, discovering that CVS had a failure rate of 62%, Walgreen’s had a failure rate of 30%, and independent pharmacies had a failure rate of 72%.
Due to the concerns surrounding pharmacy errors, lawmakers have recently started to try to implement stricter guidelines for pharmacists. The proposed changes would limit a pharmacist’s workday to 8 hours, require pharmacists take two 15 minute breaks and an hour lunch, and limit the number of prescriptions filled per hour and per shift. Despite the undeniably high error rates, some pharmacies and pharmacists have opposed the newly proposed laws.
Pharmacy Error Lawsuits
Anyone who has been provided with the wrong medication, the wrong dose of the correct medication, or not warned about a dangerous drug combination may be entitled to compensation through a pharmacy error lawsuit. Not every pharmacy error will result in a noticeable injury. This is especially the case in the days and weeks following the error. In some cases, a pharmacy error can cause latent harm that is not discovered for months or years from the time of the error.
It is important that the victims of pharmacy errors realize that state laws impose strict statutes of limitations and statutes of repose in pharmacy error cases. Generally, a statute of limitations will not begin until the plaintiff discovers their injury. However, statutes of repose set strict and immovable deadlines by which a case must be filed. A dedicated personal injury attorney can assist pharmacy error victims by ensuring that they are seen by skilled medical experts to help determine what, if any, injury was caused by the pharmacy error.
Have You Been the Victim of a Pharmacist’s Negligence?
If you or a loved one has recently been the victim of a pharmacy error, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The skilled personal injury and wrongful death attorneys at the law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers have extensive experience assisting their clients who have been the victim of pharmacy errors. We have a broad network of medical experts to assist in our clients’ cases. Call 410-654-3600 today to set up a free consultation with a dedicated personal injury attorney today.
More Blog Posts:
Pharmacists May Admit Responsibility for Error but Still Deny Legal Liability in the Face of Pending Litigation, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, March 6, 2017.
Family of Pharmacy Error Victim Disappointed with Pharmacist’s Two-Month Suspension, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, February 1, 2017.