Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
Earlier last month, an Oregon woman filed a lawsuit against the national supermarket chain Fred Meyer, alleging that an error made in one of the chain’s pharmacies greatly decreased her chances of becoming pregnant. According to a local Oregon news report, the woman is seeking damages in the amount of $680,000 against Fred Meyer.
Evidently, the woman was prescribed the fertility drug clomiphene. However, upon taking the prescription to get filled at the Fred Meyer pharmacy, the woman was provided with a similarly spelled medication instead. Upon taking just a single dose of the medication, the woman began suffering what she explain as “severe bodily injuries,” including “severe pain, shock to her nervous system, sleeplessness, fear, nervousness, nausea, balance issues, altered consciousness,” and a number of other problems. As a result, she had to stop taking the fertility medication that she was prescribed.
In a lawsuit filed by the woman against Fred Meyer, she claims that by providing her with the wrong medication, the Fred Meyer pharmacy greatly decreased her chances of ever becoming pregnant. The lawsuit was just filed in court during the past month, so a final result is not expected for some time.
Pharmacy Errors Can Cause Future Problems
Just as the woman in the case above claimed, pharmacy errors can cause life-changing problems or conditions, even if they are caught after taking just one dose. In many cases, ingesting an unprescribed medication can cause a serious injury, resulting in hospitalization and the need for additional medication. However, not only can the unprescribed drug have a negative effect on the patient, but the patient may also need to stop taking an otherwise required drug while they recover from the harm that the new medication caused.
Proving a Pharmacy Error Case in Court
It may seem that proving a pharmacy error case against a negligent pharmacist should be fairly straightforward, given the easily proven fact that an unprescribed medication was given to a patient. However, that is rarely the case. Pharmacies will often contest two elements of a case against them: causation and damages.
Pharmacies named in a negligence lawsuit may try and show that the harms suffered by the patient were not due to their error, making them not liable for the damages. Alternatively, a pharmacy may contest the amount of damages sought by a plaintiff, claiming that the injuries are not as serious or as costly as the plaintiff claims.
Have You Been Injured by a Pharmacist’s Mistake?
If you or a loved one has recently been injured by the negligence of a pharmacist, you may be entitled to monetary damages. To learn more about these kinds of lawsuits, and to speak with a dedicated pharmacy error attorney about your case, call 410-654-3600 to speak with a representative from the Maryland personal injury firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. The skilled advocates at Lebowitz & Mzhen have ample experience bringing all kinds of personal injury actions, including those against negligent pharmacists. Call today to set up your free consultation.
More Blog Posts:
Mother Catches Pharmacy Error Before Providing Medication to Her Five-Month-Old Son, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, July 29, 2015.
Hospitals Starting To Use New Technology to Decrease Prescription Errors, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, July 8, 2015.