Every medication you take has an impact on your health and body. And if you are expectant, the drug affects your unborn baby too. This explains why healthcare providers exercise extreme caution when prescribing and administering medication to expectant mothers.
A medication error can lead to serious complications for both mother and the baby. If you are a victim of a medication error, the doctor or hospital in question can also be pursued for the resulting damages through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
So how do medication errors happen?
Medication problems are caused by a variety of factors. Here are examples of medication errors that can cause complications for the mother and the baby:
- When a healthcare provider prescribed medications that are dangerous to the unborn baby
- When a healthcare provider prescribes the wrong dosage to the expectant mother
- When the wrong medication is administered during labor
Many medication errors are usually attributable to the healthcare provider’s negligence or when they fail to exercise reasonable caution while prescribing or administering the medication.
Pursuing damages following a medication error
Medication errors can lead to a range of injuries to the mother and their unborn baby. These may include birth defects or even death. If you or your unborn baby suffers injuries that can be linked to medication errors, you need to hold the liable party accountable. For this, you need to file your claim within 2.5 years from the date of the injury or its discovery. This is New York’s statute of limitations for medical injury claims. Filing your claim after the expiry of the statute of limitations period can lead to the dismissal of your claim.
Not many things are as heartbreaking as you and your baby sustaining an injury that would otherwise be preventable. Knowing your legal options can help you pursue justice if you and/or your baby are hurt due to medication errors.