A prescription error can have serious consequences, ranging from minor side effects to life-threatening allergic reactions. In some cases, they may even result in death.
What should you do if you think a prescription error led to the loss of your loved one?
How do prescription errors happen?
Errors can happen for many reasons, including poor handwriting, misinterpretation of dosage instructions, or mistakes during the dispensing process. Medication contraindications are another cause for concern, as they may indicate that a drug is not safe for a particular patient.
Many electronic medical records and medication administration records will display a warning if a medication is contraindicated for a particular patient. If a physician or pharmacist isn’t careful or overrides the warning, prescribing that medication to a patient can cause a reaction that may lead to hospitalization or even death.
Because of this, it’s important for patients to carefully check their prescriptions before taking any medication. They should also report any errors to their pharmacist or doctor immediately. However, for many of the elderly, failing eyesight and fear of questioning a doctor’s authority may keep them from speaking up.
If you believe that a prescription error caused your parent’s death, it is essential to take action. Without experienced guidance, you may simply not be able to tell on your own whether or not something went wrong with the way their prescriptions were handled.
If your loved one’s death was the result of a prescription error, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the doctor or pharmacist who made the mistake. It won’t bring your loved one back, but it can help you get the compensation you deserve and help protect others from the same fate.