Medication errors are a major form of medical malpractice. Connecticut doctors and healthcare providers have a duty to provide a certain standard of care to patients.
When they breach this duty and that causes a patient harm, they may have committed medical malpractice.
What is a medication error?
The FDA defines a medication error as any preventable event that results in inappropriate medication use or harm to a patient. According to the World Health Organization, almost 50% of preventable harm to patients worldwide is from medication errors.
Medication errors can sometimes result in serious injury or even death. The cost of treating an injury or harm caused by a medication error can be astronomical.
You may quickly find that you are drowning in medical bills you cannot afford to pay. If you believe your injury was due to medical malpractice, you naturally want to hold someone accountable.
A successful medical malpractice claim can provide you with compensation for your medical bills and other losses, including lost wages if you cannot go back to work.
Sometimes it can be difficult to know if your experience is due to a medication error. Here are some common types of medication errors that you should know about.
Wrong dosage or combination of drugs
When you are prescribed the wrong dosage of a medication, this increases the risk of negative side effects. The wrong dosage could be from an incorrect measurement or a wrong dosage form or calculation by the doctor.
It is a doctor’s responsibility to always check the dosage forms and verify everything to ensure they are prescribing the correct dosage.
A doctor may prescribe you a drug that has a negative interaction to a drug you are already taking. Certain medications should not be taken together.
Your doctor has a duty to check your medical records to learn what medications you are currently taking. They should also verify with you directly that the medications listed in your records are still current and accurate.
Misdiagnosis or wrong drug
You may be prescribed a medication due to a misdiagnosis. If you are misdiagnosed with an injury or condition, you could end up taking incorrect medication that leads to serious issues.
Alternatively, you might receive a correct diagnosis but receive the wrong medication due to a doctor prescribing the wrong drug. Many drugs have very similar lengthy, complex sounding names, which contributes to the problem.
Doctors should double check that the correct drug and dosage are being prescribed before sending a prescription to a pharmacy.
These are just a few of the most common causes of medication errors. There are many other types of medication errors that could cause you significant harm.
Although medication errors can be caused by human error, sometimes they are caused by system, manufacturing or distribution errors.
Proving medical malpractice
Recovering compensation in a medical malpractice lawsuit requires proving negligence. This means proving that the doctor or healthcare provider breached their duty of care and that breach caused your harm.
The damages you suffer from medical malpractice can be substantial. You must prove your damages to successfully establish negligence. Documents such as medical and employment records or expert testimony can help you prove damages.