Fairfax, VA Medication Error Attorney

Skilled Medication Error Lawyers Holding Medical Providers Accountable in Fairfax, Virginia

When they are used correctly, medications can relieve pain, control chronic conditions, fight infections, and save patients' lives. When they are used incorrectly, they can cause people to suffer serious harm, resulting in permanent injuries or wrongful death. Medication errors may occur at any point during the treatment process. Patients who have been affected will need to determine how to address injuries that have been caused by medical malpractice.

At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer can work with people who have been harmed by medication errors to obtain compensation for their damages. He can find out exactly how an error occurred, ensuring that a negligent provider will be held responsible for the harm they have caused.

How Medication Errors Can Occur

Prescribing Errors

A doctor or another medical provider who prescribes medications may make a mistake when selecting a medication, determining the proper dose, or failing to account for issues that could affect a patient's overall health. A doctor may misdiagnose a patient's condition and prescribe medications that are inappropriate. This will not only fail to treat a person's actual condition, but it can also put a patient at risk of health issues when receiving an unnecessary drug.

In some cases, a doctor may prescribe a medication without considering a patient's allergies. This can cause a serious reaction that could injure a patient. The consequences may range from a mild allergic reaction to anaphylaxis, which could be fatal.

Dosing errors may also occur when medications are prescribed. A doctor may order a dose that is too high based on a patient's weight, age, or other factors. This could lead to an overdose that could cause serious harm. If a doctor orders a dose that is too low, a medication may not serve as an effective treatment.

Dangerous drug interactions can occur when a doctor fails to consider other drugs that a patient is already taking. Many medications can interact with one another, leading to effects that a drug would not cause by itself. The effects of different medications may be amplified, or the effectiveness of drugs may be reduced. Some interactions can lead to toxic reactions that may affect a person's overall health.

Pharmacy Dispensing Errors

After a medication is prescribed, a pharmacist will be responsible for verifying the order, preparing and dispensing the medication, and providing a patient with appropriate instructions. Pharmacists may fail to identify and address errors made when medications were prescribed, or they may make mistakes that could cause harm to patients.

In some cases, pharmacists may dispense the wrong medication. This may occur when they misread a handwritten prescription, confuse two medications that have similar names, or make other mistakes that cause them to select the wrong drugs. In other cases, a pharmacist may dispense the correct medication, but they may provide a patient with the wrong dose. Labeling errors may also occur, such as instructing a patient to take a medication twice a day when it should only be taken once daily. These issues can lead patients to take a higher or lower amount of a drug than intended.

Pharmacists are also required to counsel patients on how to use medications correctly. They may provide information about how and when to take drugs, what side effects to watch for, and what other medications, foods, or activities to avoid while taking a drug. A pharmacist who does not take steps to ensure that a patient is fully informed about the use of a medication may be responsible for injuries that occur due to the use of a drug.

Medication Administration Errors

In hospitals, nursing homes, medical offices, and other facilities, nurses will often be responsible for administering medications to patients. They will need to perform the proper checks to ensure that the right patient receives the right medication in the right dose at the right time. Errors in administering medications can cause patients to suffer serious harm.

A medication may be given to the wrong patient if a nurse does not verify the patient's identity and check their records. In busy medical facilities, patients may have similar names or conditions, and a failure to verify that a medication is correct before administering it can lead to injuries for a patient.

A nurse may administer the wrong medication or the wrong dose if they misread medication records or make mistakes when preparing medications. Medications may also be administered through the wrong route, such as delivering a medication orally when it should have been provided through an IV. This may affect how quickly and how intensely a medication acts, and errors could lead to overdoses or other issues.

The timing of medication administration may also affect a patient's health. If a nurse delays in administering a medication or fails to provide a patient with a medication at all, a patient may not receive the treatment needed to address serious health concerns.

Errors in Medication Monitoring

Patients may need ongoing monitoring to ensure that medications have the right effects and address any potential side effects or other health issues. A doctor may prescribe a medication, but they may fail to follow up with a patient or order tests to monitor a patient's results. They may fail to act to address the level of a medication in a person's system or take other steps to manage medications correctly.

Contact Our Fairfax, Virginia Medication Error Lawyer

Errors made when prescribing, administering, or dispensing medications can cause patients to suffer serious harm. At Shevlin Smith, P.C., our lawyer can provide guidance on the options available to patients who have been injured due to medication errors. He will work to ensure that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or other parties involved in medical care will be held liable for medical malpractice. Contact our Fairfax medication and pharmacy error attorney at 703-591-0067 to arrange a free consultation.