Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog
Earlier this month in the Orlando, Florida area, a woman was hospitalized after she was provided the incorrect medication by her local Walgreen’s pharmacy. According to one local news source, the woman had been prescribed an antihistamine for her allergies, a drug that she had been prescribed on-and-off since 2011.
Evidently, the woman was prescribed a generic form of Zyrtec by her doctor, but she was provided medication designed to lower patients’ blood sugar. After taking the medication, she began to feel extremely lethargic and was slurring her words. She was a piano teacher by trade, and the woman’s students called their parents telling them that something was wrong with their instructor.
The woman was hospitalized for “poisoning.” Her blood sugar, which is usually up in the 90s, was down in the 30s. She thanks her students for catching the problem and calling their parents. Otherwise, she says, she likely would have ended up in a coma.
Walgreen’s issued a formal apology and provided the woman the prescribed medication free of charge. However, in the interim the woman had incurred approximately $15,000 in medical bills. She told reporters that she is thankful that she is alive, but she is not satisfied with Walgreen’s response and plans to file a civil complaint against the company in the near future.
Serious Errors in Local Maryland Pharmacies
This near-fatal pharmacy error could have been prevented by the exercise of due diligence on the part of the pharmacist. It just so happens that the two drugs discussed above have similar names. Combine that with the fact that doctors are not known for their excellent penmanship, and a dangerous combination results.
However, it is a Maryland pharmacist’s duty to ensure that the medication they are providing to their patients is exactly what the patients’ doctor prescribed. If a pharmacist has any questions for the doctor, or cannot read what the doctor has written, he or she should pick up the phone and call the doctor’s office rather than “wing it” and fill a prescription with a potentially fatal medication that may not be prescribed to a patient.
Thankfully, the woman in this case survived with no long-term damage. However, she did incur thousands of dollars in medical bills and what was likely a substantial amount of anguish in the meantime. To learn more about Maryland pharmacy error cases, contact a dedicated Maryland personal injury attorney with your questions.
Have You Been Provided an Incorrect Medication By Your Local Pharmacist?
If you or a loved one has been harmed after being provided an incorrect medication by your local pharmacy, you may be entitled to monetary damages. Pharmacy errors are common, and when they result in serious harm or death, those affected may recover substantial amounts of money to help them cope with their injuries and pay their accrued medical expenses. To learn more, contact one of the skilled and knowledgeable pharmacy error attorneys at the Maryland law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, at 410-654-3600 today. The advocates at Lebowitz & Mzhen have years of collective experience successfully bringing pharmacy error claims against negligent pharmacies and would be happy to speak with you about your case, free of charge.
More Blog Posts:
CVS Pharmacy Mixes Up Prescription, Man Sent to Hospital, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, December 15, 2014.
California Costco Pharmacy Mis-Fills One Patient’s Prescription Twice in One Year, Pharmacy Error Injury Lawyer Blog, January 22, 2015.