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Can Medication Errors Cause Serious Injuries?

One of the most serious, yet lesser known, types of medical malpractice is medication error. This occurs far more than people think but they may be unaware that it is considered an error. However, if they do occur, they can cause significant dangers to the patient.

Understanding what medication errors can be, how they happen, and how they can cause harm can help you understand your rights to pursue compensation. Check out some of the things you should know below.

What are Medication Errors?

Medication errors can occur in the following ways:

  • Prescribing the wrong medication: When a patient doesn’t receive proper diagnosis for the condition they have, they may be prescribed the wrong type of medication.
  • Prescribing the wrong dosage: If the wrong dosage is put on the label of a medication, the patient may take too much. This can result in an overdose.
  • Not checking for current medications: The doctors usually ask what medications the patient is currently taking. This helps to prevent prescribing other medications that would have a bad reaction with what’s currently being taken.

How Do They Happen?

Many of the situations involving medication errors occur because of either miscommunication or misdiagnosis. With miscommunication, there may be a problem with the way the prescription is written or with the doctor not writing the correct prescription for the right patient.

Similarly, a doctor may prescribe the wrong medication when they misdiagnose a patient with a condition they don’t have. They may insist on a certain medication being prescribed despite the patient needing something else for their condition.

What Kind of Harm Can Occur?

Medication errors can result in overdose, allergic reactions, or other problems that may lead to significant injuries. This can include situations in which one medication has a side effect because of a medication the patient is already taking for something else.

If you have been harmed because of a medication error, our Corpus Christi medical malpractice lawyers are here to help you. You can count on The Edwards Law Firm to guide you throughout the process with a focus on your best interests. Let us be your advocates.

Call us at (361) 541-6333 today!