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When you leave a doctor’s office urgent care or hospital, you expect the medications prescribed will be safe and effective at treating your underlying condition. Unfortunately, millions of Americans experience serious harm because their doctors prescribe the wrong medicine or dosage, or their pharmacists give them the wrong drug, dosage or instructions.
When you sustain serious physical harm under these circumstances, you should reach out to a Bala Cynwyd medication error lawyer to discuss the possibility of filing a civil suit. If you and your seasoned malpractice attorney can show that someone breached a “standard of care” when failing to ensure you got the right medication, you can secure comprehensive compensation for your losses.
Who Could Be Liable for a Medication Error?
Although it might seem reasonable to assume that medication errors are always a result of a prescribing physician’s mistakes, that is not always the case. Many prescription errors occur at the pharmacy instead of in the doctor’s office. For example, a pharmacist may misread a prescribing physician’s handwriting, mix up labels, or simply not be properly trained and qualified for the job they are supposed to perform.
In addition, medication errors made by prescribing physicians often stem from mistakes they or other people involved in a patient’s care made beforehand. For example, someone who misdiagnoses a patient’s condition may then prescribe the wrong type of medication. Alternatively, someone who fails to account for other medications a patient is currently taking may prescribe something that interacts dangerously with other drugs already in the patient’s system.
In some cases, a “medication error” may even be a problem with the medication itself. Dangers may result from problems with the drug’s design or contamination during the manufacturing of individual batches. A Bala Cynwyd attorney can offer vital guidance during a private consultation about what may or may not serve as valid grounds for medication error litigation.
Special Rules for Medication Malpractice Claims
Medication error lawsuits have unique requirements, making it almost impossible to navigate these types of claims alone. Under Pennsylvania law, anyone who intends to file a lawsuit over any kind of medical negligence must have support from at least one qualified medical expert. This expert must state they believe the injured individual has valid grounds for a civil claim by submitting a written and signed “affidavit” either with or soon after the plaintiff’s initial complaint.
Additionally, prospective malpractice plaintiffs typically have just two years to file suit after discovering they were harmed by a healthcare provider’s misconduct. There are, however, exceptions to this rule, and a lawyer in Bala Cynwyd can offer more specific guidance about filing deadlines after reviewing the details of a potential medication error claim.
Discuss Legal Options With a Bala Cynwyd Medication Error Attorney
Any type of mistake made by a medical professional can have long-lasting and potentially life-altering consequences. Mistakes involving medication are no exception. If you want a fair shot at getting financial restitution for the harm caused to you or someone you love by a negligent medical professional, you should make contacting skilled legal counsel a top priority.
A knowledgeable Bala Cynwyd medication error lawyer can be your irreplaceable ally throughout legal proceedings. Schedule a meeting with an attorney at Lowenthal & Abrams by calling today.
