Every day, people all around the U.S. pick up prescription medication at their local pharmacies. They trust that these prescriptions are filled with the correct dosage of the right medicine. But what happens when that is not the case?
Prescription error and fault are two of the most common mistakes made in general practices and hospitals. Prescription error refers to a mistake made due to outside circumstances such as bad handwriting, system issues and mixing up sound-alike drugs. Prescription fault means the error is the doctor’s mistake, such as prescribing too high of a dosage or the wrong drug entirely.
Regardless of how a prescription error is made, only one person deals with the consequences: you.
How can a prescription error affect me?
Prescription errors are rarely fatal, but they can certainly affect your overall health and quality of life. Prescription mistakes account for 70% of medication errors that have the potential to cause harmful effects.
For example, if you are given the wrong medication completely, your condition isn’t being treated. If you are prescribed the incorrect dosage, your condition isn’t being treated accurately, and your side effects could vary. Depending on how long you take the wrong medication, the effects could range from minor to severe.
Consider the recent case of 17-year-old Alyssa Watrous, who received the wrong prescription for her asthma. Two days after picking up what she thought was her medication, she realized the wrong name was on the bottle. Her intense, out-of-character side effects suddenly made sense. She was taking blood pressure pills. This mistake landed her in the emergency room.
Is my case worth a lawsuit?
If you suffer as a result of a prescription error, you may have legal recourse. There are physical, mental and financial issues that go hand-in-hand with taking the wrong medication. You may be able to seek compensation for your suffering. Discussing the legal ins and outs of your case with a medical malpractice attorney is a good place to start.