Kansas City Medication Error Lawyers
Patients expect that medications prescribed for their illness will make them better. Physicians and pharmacists must exercise care in prescribing the correct medications at the proper dosages.
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, our prescription drug error attorneys help people harmed by wrongly prescribed or improperly administered drugs get the compensation they need and deserve for injuries caused by medication mistakes.
What Is a Medication Error?
According to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention, a medication error is any preventable occurrence that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm.
If you believe a medication error injured you due to a doctor or other healthcare professional’s negligence, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim. A Kansas City medication errors attorney can evaluate and assess your case to determine your legal rights.
How Many Medication Errors Occur Each Year?
Medication errors are common and one of the most reported medical malpractice claims. Medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people every year.
However, it is important to remember that the type of medication error and the severity of the injury it causes can vary significantly.
Common Medication Errors
If a medication or prescription error has injured you or a family member, our Kansas City, MO attorneys can help. Our medical malpractice lawyers help people who have been injured by medication mistakes. Common drug errors include:
- Prescription drug overdose,
- Dosage error,
- Wrong drugs administered,
- Unanticipated drug interactions,
- Missing allergies to immunizations, and
- Pharmacy error.
Such errors can be caused by ordering the wrong medication or dose. They can also be caused by the negligent failure of a hospital or clinic to establish safeguards against mistakes, to properly administer anesthesia, to take complete medical histories, to inquire about existing allergies, or to monitor blood medication levels.
Medication mistakes can lead to brain injury, birth related injury, anaphylactic shock, heart attack, stroke, bleeding, and death.
Who Is Responsible for Medication Errors?
When most people hear the words “medical malpractice” or “medication error,” their first thought usually goes to the doctor: that it must be the doctor’s fault. While physicians cause medication errors, many other parties may be to blame.
In addition to doctor liability, other responsible parties can include:
- Nurses,
- Physician assistants,
- Hospitals,
- Pharmacies,
- Surgery centers, and
- Any other individual or entity involved in prescribing and administering medication.
It is also possible for multiple parties to be partially responsible. If multiple defendants are responsible for medical malpractice, they can be held jointly and severally liable with other parties.
In other words, the plaintiff can sue any or all defendants and collect the total damages awarded by the court from any or all of them.
If one defendant is 51% or more at fault, they can be jointly and severally liable for the total damages. If they bear less than 51% of the fault, they will only be responsible for that percentage of the judgment.
Having a skilled and resourceful Kansas City medication errors attorney to investigate your claim and thoroughly identify all possible liable parties is critical to a successful lawsuit.
How to Report Medication Errors
There are several ways in which you can report medication errors. Most notably, you can report instances of errors to organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Institute of Safe Medication Practices (ISMP).
They review reports and may publish this information to healthcare professionals to inform them about concerns.
Similarly, they may report instances of medication errors to the pharmaceutical industry to make changes to instructions, packaging, and more to reduce cases of medication errors.
How to Prevent Medication Errors
Preventing medication errors is two-fold. Medical professionals must take necessary steps to ensure they uphold the duty of care owed to each patient and ensure safe prescription and administration of medication to patients. Doctors, nurses, healthcare facilities, and other medical professionals must:
- Ensure accurate dosage;
- Ensure proper route of administration (e.g., orally, intravenous, etc.);
- Verify known patient allergies, medical history, and current medications to avoid adverse interactions; and
- Observe the patient for some time after administration of the medicine.
Failure to take necessary precautions can lead to serious patient harm.
While doctors and healthcare providers must prevent patient harm, patients can also help prevent medication errors. For instance, they should always inform doctors of current medications and known allergies.
How Prescription Drug Error Attorneys Can Help
The consequences of medication errors can be severe, causing disability, the need for lifetime care, or even death.
If you suspect that you or a loved one is the victim of drug malpractice, the prescription drug error attorneys at Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, have the experience and record of success you want on your side.
We have successfully handled major medication malpractice cases, winning substantial verdicts for patients hurt by drug errors. Let us use our experience and the experience of our national network of medication specialists to work for you.
Get in Contact With a Kansas City Medication Errors Lawyer Today
At Dempsey Kingsland & Osteen, we understand the gravity of a medical malpractice injury and fiercely advocate for victims and their families.
Medication error lawsuits are complex and intricate, so we have medical professionals on our team to lend unique insight and knowledge to each client’s case. Contact us today for a compassionate, no-cost case evaluation.
