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Medicine is crucial for improving your quality of life and providing relief from an injury or disease. While we trust the medication we are prescribed to improve our physical condition, medical professionals can make mistakes when prescribing or filling drug prescriptions that lead to severe and sometimes fatal consequences.
While physicians and pharmacy staff members are only human, instances of malpractice can lead to a patient receiving the incorrect drug or an inappropriate amount of medicine. Schedule a meeting with a qualified Erie medication error lawyer if you have questions or need help with a case.
Common Reasons Medication Mistakes Happen
The most common reason behind medication errors is an individual’s failure to diligently adhere to specific guidelines for their role in the medical industry. The physicians, nurses, and pharmacists are usually busy, and if they do not give their full attention to every patient, an oversight can quickly turn into a catastrophic event. Some examples of circumstances that may lead to a patient receiving an inappropriate medication include:
- Misdiagnosis of an illness by a healthcare professional
- Incorrect prescription dosing for the patient
- Failure to account for a medication’s interactions with other prescription or over-the-counter medicines the patient is taking
- Communication issues between the prescribing physician and the pharmacy, including issues with illegible handwriting
- Flawed prescription packaging by the manufacturer
- The prescription instructions are unclear, and the physician or pharmacist does not provide adequate information to the patient
An Erie attorney can help determine the most effective way to recover damages after reviewing the circumstances of a specific medication error.
No Damages Caps on Medical Malpractice Cases
While many states have laws restricting the maximum amount of damages patients can recover in medical malpractice cases, this is not the case in Pennsylvania. According to the guidance of the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act, there is no cap on the settlement amount patients can collect for economic or noneconomic damages. The legislation provides that patients can recover the total cost of verifiable losses they suffered due to the cause of action as well as compensation for non-monetary damages, such as pain and suffering.
Possible Recoverable Damages
After establishing the elements necessary to prove liability, the court may award damages for losses such as:
- The total cost of medical care needed for treatment of the injuries related to the mistake in medication
- Lost salary if the patient must miss work to recover at home
- Emotional trauma and distress, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, caused by the healthcare professional’s error
- Physical and emotional pain and discomfort
- Losing the enjoyment of life and activities you enjoyed before the accident occurred
- Loss of consortium
A medication error lawyer in Erie can collect the evidence needed to build a solid case and recover a just award amount.
Call a Seasoned Medication Error Attorney in Erie Now
You have every right to seek damages if you or someone you love suffered injuries because of a medical professional’s mistake. Being prescribed the incorrect drug or dosage can lead to severe health conditions, in some cases causing permanent disabilities or death.
While state legislation allows injured patients to collect compensation from the at-fault party, it takes a solid understanding of medical malpractice laws to prove liability and collect a fair award amount. Schedule a consultation with a hard-working and knowledgeable Erie medication error lawyer for help with your case.
