Prescription Medication Errors
Atlanta and Savannah Injury Lawyers Protecting Clients Harmed by Prescription Medication Errors
Protecting victims of medical malpractice throughout Georgia
Prescription medication errors can cause adverse drug events (ADEs), which account for approximately 700,000 ER visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Network. AHRQ reports that about 5% of hospital patients will experience an ADE while ambulatory patients will experience them at even higher rates. We are concerned with preventable medication errors as not all adverse drug reactions are a result of error or negligence on the part of a medical professional.
The skilled medical malpractice attorneys at Harris Lowry Manton LLP serve clients in Atlanta and Savannah and throughout Georgia who have suffered injuries because of preventable medication errors. We are here to help you get the compensation you need.
Examples of commonly confused medication names
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) maintains a Medication Errors Reporting program. They have developed a fact sheet containing a massive list of commonly confused medication names in look-alike and sound-alike name pairs. After consulting this list and seeing just how close many medications look and sound alike, it is no wonder there are so many instances of prescribing errors. Confusing one drug for another can lead to medication errors that cans cause injury and even death. Here are some examples taken from the ISMP list of confused drug names:
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What are some of the common causes of medication errors?
Approximately 82% of Americans take at least one prescription medication, and about 29% of those take five or more medications according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is a lot of medication with plenty of room for error.
Common reasons for medication error include:
- Miscommunication
- Wrong dose given
- Wrong medication
- Wrong patient
- Gaps in a patient’s medical history
- Medication interactions
- Mislabeled medications
- Failure to monitor the patient’s continuing use of the medication
- Incorrect administration of the drug
- Failure to warn the patient about potential side effects
Was my injury from a medication mistake medical malpractice?
For your injury to be considered medical malpractice, it would have to be preventable harm. In Georgia, when you file a claim for medical malpractice, you must file an expert affidavit which a medical expert in the same field or specialty as the doctor who allegedly caused your injury. This expert must will attest to the negligent act or failure to act and testify that the physician or other medical professional was the direct cause of the plaintiff’s injury.
Medical malpractice requires that there be a doctor-patient relationship, the doctor’s negligent conduct caused the patient’s harm, and the patient must incur damages because of the injury.
How can a medical malpractice attorney help my injury case?
Generally speaking, you only have two (2) years from the day you were injured, or could have reasonably known you were injured, to make a malpractice claim. There are some exceptions, specifically for children, and for patients who are declared legally incompetent.
Proving medical malpractice from a medication error can be a complicated task. An experienced Atlanta medical malpractice attorney will know how to find the right medical expert who will be able to study your medical records and determine whether your injury was an adverse reaction to the medication, or if it was a preventable medical error.
We are diligent in holding the medical professionals who are responsible for your injuries accountable for their breach of the accepted standard of care. Our skilled lawyers in Savannah and Atlanta understand the emotional, physical and financial burden an injury can create in your life. When the injury was due to preventable medical error, we fight for justice on your behalf.
Contact a Georgia medical malpractice attorney now to discuss your case
At HLM, our Atlanta medical malpractice attorneys understand how scary a medication error can be. We determine how the injury happened, who is responsible, and what could have been done to prevent it. For answers to your questions and immediate help, you are welcome to phone our Atlanta office at 404-961-7650 or our Savannah office at 912-651-9967. You can also complete our contact form. Your first consultation is free.