Prescribing the correct medication can help minimize a patient’s pain and suffering and ensure he/she attains optimal recovery. However, whether it’s the wrong prescription or incorrect dosage, a medication error can have the opposite effect, leading to severe complications or death. In this article, we will discuss common types of medication errors and how these mistakes affect patients.
If you’re an attorney working on a medical malpractice lawsuit involving medication errors, you may benefit from life care planning and expert witness services. At Cardinal LifeCare Planning, we provide both and can assist during litigation or negotiations with insurers. If you have any questions about our methodology or would like to find out more about our evidence-based life care plans, call 724-487-0519 today.
Let’s explore a few of the most common types of medication errors:
Incorrect Dosage
Many factors, such as the age, height, weight, and gender of the patient, are taken into account when determining the correct dosage of a certain medication. While healthcare providers can and do make mistakes when calculating this amount, it’s more common for patients to misread or misunderstand dosage instructions. Overdosing on some medications can lead to severe complications, while underdosing will delay the patient’s recovery or cause the condition to worsen.
Allergic Reaction
Prescription drugs can contain ingredients that trigger severe allergic reactions in some patients. As part of accepted standards of practice and medical guidelines, doctors are required to ask patients about any allergies before prescribing these drugs. If a healthcare provider proceeds to prescribe medication containing an ingredient a patient is allergic to – despite awareness of his or her medical history and allergies – this may be grounds for a medical malpractice or negligence claim. Keep in mind that a doctor can also be held liable for damages if he or she fails to enquire about the patient’s allergies before medication is prescribed.
Incorrect Instructions
Whether it’s to prevent damage to internal organs, ensure healthy recovery, or minimize the risk of addiction, many medications are prescribed with a set of instructions from the doctor describing how often and exactly when the drug must be taken. If the instructions are wrong, unclear, or illegible, and these errors led to pain and suffering for the patient, this may be grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Expert Witness & Life Care Planning Services for Attorneys
If you need a life care planner, nursing care planner, or expert witness to help with your personal injury case, you can rely on the team at Cardinal LifeCare Consulting. Contact us today at 724-487-0519 to speak to one of our legal nurse consultants.
