Medication Error Attorney in Louisville

When a new drug is submitted to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the approval process can take an average of six months. However, before that drug reaches the FDA, it can undergo 12 – 15 years of research and development. Even with all of that testing, there can still be problems with the medication, especially when it reacts with other drugs and conditions.

In addition to problems on the manufacturer’s side of things, there are several other medication error complications to consider:

Giving the Wrong Medication

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 361.3 million prescription drugs are administered in hospitals each year. When you consider how many patients are on a hospital ward at any given time, it isn’t hard to imagine that medications could get mixed up. Often, drugs look similar or have medication names that sound alike. There could also be a concern about not being able to decipher a physician’s handwriting for the drug orders.

Giving the Incorrect Dosage

Prescription medications are often started out at low doses. That helps determine if there are any adverse reactions. However, healthcare professionals could also miscalculate or misinterpret the prescribed dose. That can trigger overdosing or underdosing.

Failing to Provide Pain Medication

Sometimes, a medication error is not caused by dispensing the wrong prescription but by skipping a dose altogether. This is another common occurrence in hospital settings. It can lead to a patient being forced to endure pain beyond what they should.

Harmful Drug-on-Drug Interactions

It is not uncommon for a patient to be prescribed more than one medication to help with multiple conditions. While the majority of those medications are safe to take together, there can be harmful interactions. To avoid those dangerous side effects, a prescribing physician must be aware of their patient’s complete medical history and previous reactions to other medications.

Allergic Reactions

Too often, you don’t know if you’re allergic to a medication until you’ve taken it. Suppose there is an allergic reaction to a certain prescription drug. That needs to become part of your medical history. That is something every doctor needs to review before writing out a prescription.

Lack of Patient Education

It is not the responsibility of patients to educate themselves on the drugs they are taking. That is because the information they might find online could be wrong. Any information about a drug needs to come from a doctor or pharmacist. That includes details of when to take the drug and whether it should be taken with food or on an empty stomach.

Experiencing any one of these medical errors could trigger discomfort and a long list of adverse side effects. More importantly, they could also counteract the effectiveness of the correct drug that you should be taking. These mistakes are never intentional, but they could be considered negligent actions, and that makes those responsible liable for damages.

Medical errors are a classic example of medical malpractice. Under Kentucky law, you are able to seek a remedy for your losses. That compensation can include the following:

• Hospital bills
• Lost wages
• Future earnings if you’re unable to return to work
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of consortium
• Funeral/burial expenses for wrongful death

The first step is to determine if your case has merit. McCoy & Hiestand, PLC, offers a free case evaluation, during which we will hear your story and discuss how the medication error has impacted your life. If we decide to move forward, we will do so with the full focus of our office. That includes tapping into our network of medical professionals who can provide expert testimony and analyze your records.

It is essential that you contact us as soon as possible. Call our office to set up your consultation with a Louisville medication error attorney today.