St. Louis Medication Error Lawyer
Doctors must evaluate the safety and effectiveness of each medication they administer to a patient. The provider must know the patient’s medical history, determine the correct dosage, instruct the patient on how to take the medication, and monitor the patient for any adverse effects. When a medical provider makes an error at any point in this process, the patient can be placed at risk of serious physical harm.
If you have been the victim of a medication error in the hospital or from a medical provider, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses. The St. Louis medication error attorneys of Sumner Law Group, LLC, can help you understand your legal rights. With more than five decades of combined legal experience, our attorneys have earned a reputation for never backing down from a fight for what’s right.
Contact our firm today for a free case review with a knowledgeable St. Louis medication error lawyer. We will handle your case on a contingency-fee basis. That means we get paid in your medication error case only when we win compensation for you.
Common Medication Errors in Hospitals
Common types of medication errors made in hospitals include:
- Patient information errors. Medication errors can arise when healthcare professionals fail to take full patient histories or inaccurately record the patient’s history. This can lead doctors to erroneously prescribe medications that can cause an allergic reaction or an adverse reaction with other medications the patient takes.
- Drug information errors. Medication errors can also occur when doctors and pharmacists make mistakes in processing information about drugs to be administered to a patient. For example, a physician may fail to check a drug’s reference sheet to confirm whether a drug being prescribed has any adverse interactions with other medications the patient takes. Doctors can also make mistakes in calculating an effective and safe dosage for a patient. That mistake can lead to a patient receiving too little of a medication and getting less or no therapeutic effect, or too much medication and suffering an overdose. Doctors can also make errors in writing out prescriptions with incorrect or confusing abbreviations. Pharmacists can compound these errors by failing to confirm a prescription order.
- Inadequate communication. Hospital staff may make errors in administering medication when staff members fail to communicate regarding a patient’s care. For example, different specialist physicians may not confirm with one another what medications they are prescribing for a patient. That lack of communication creates a risk of adverse interactions between drugs. Nurses may also fail to properly hand off a patient’s care during shift changes. When that happens, patients can miss prescribed medication doses or receive double dosages.
- Problems with medication storage. Many medications must be stored within certain temperature ranges or in other specific conditions. If the medication is allowed to sit outside of the required storage conditions, the medication can spoil and end up causing illness or other harm to a patient.
- Lack of monitoring patients on medication. Hospital patients who are given medications should be monitored for any adverse interactions or other health complications. Through carelessness or negligence, hospital staff may not adequately monitor a patient’s condition or fail to promptly detect and act on signs of adverse reactions. Providers should also follow up with patients after discharge from the provider’s care.
- Poorly trained staff. Poorly trained hospital staff can commit different kinds of avoidable medication errors, such as administering medication to the wrong patient or administering the wrong medication or wrong dosage to a patient. Proper training includes ensuring that staffers always confirm a patient’s identity and verify that the medication being given matches the prescription order. Staff should also use their knowledge and common sense to check in with a prescribing physician if a medication dosage appears to be dangerous.
- Lack of patient education. Healthcare providers should ensure that patients have all necessary information related to taking a medication. They should know when medications should be taken, whether a medication should be taken with food or on an empty stomach, what symptoms the patient should monitor themselves for, and whether the patient should avoid alcohol, caffeine, or certain foods.
Compensation Through a Medication Error Lawsuit
If you have suffered harm due to a medication error, you may be entitled to seek compensation for these damages:
- Medical treatment expenses for illnesses or other conditions caused by the medication error
- Long-term care expenses, such as rehab or home health services
- Lost income or earning capacity, if a medication error keeps you out of work longer than you otherwise would have been
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life, such as due to disabilities or reduced life expectancy caused by a medication error
Talk to a St. Louis Medication Error Attorney Now
When you have been injured due to a medication error, you have the right to demand answers. Contact Sumner Law Group, LLC, today for a free consultation with a St. Louis medication error attorney. We understand what you are going through, and we are here to help you hold the responsible party accountable. Let us help you pursue the financial compensation you need and the justice you deserve.
