Orange Medication Error Attorneys

Suffered Injury or Illness Due to a Medication Error in Orange County?

When medication errors occur, a patient can potentially suffer life-threatening or fatal effects depending on his or her age, illness, allergies, the strength of the medication, and more. Unfortunately, these errors occur too frequently. According to research, roughly 7,000 Americans suffer fatal injuries each year due to medication errors alone.

Many medication errors occur due to:

• Understaffed hospitals
• Fatigued medical staff members
• Careless medical staff members
• Poor communication between medical staff members and pharmacists
• Poor communication between medical staff members
• Poor communication between patients and medical professionals
• Illegible handwriting on a hand-written prescription

If you have suffered harm or the loss of a loved one due to a medication error, it is important to seek legal counsel by contacting our Orange County medication malpractice lawyers at the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg. We have successfully recovered more than $500,000,000.00 on behalf of injured victims and are ready to stand by your side.

Get in touch with our legal team today!

Common Types of Medication Errors

All medication errors, regardless of the types of medications involved, can significantly and negatively alter a patient’s life. These errors may occur in different ways, including:

• Improper dosage: A patient can suffer extreme detriment due to a deficient or excessive medication dosage.
• Wrong medications: If a patient is administered the incorrect medication, he or she can suffer extreme or fatal injuries, especially if he or she suffers from a severe allergy. This often occurs when medical professionals do not pay close attention to their patients' medical histories.
• Mixing medications: In some cases, medical professionals do not consider the way specific medications can react when mixed with others. However, mixing medications can lead to severe adverse effects.
• Failure to consider a patient’s medical history: When healthcare providers fail to examine a patient’s medical history, they can miss crucial information about a patient’s allergies. If the patient suffers from serious allergies, one dose of the wrong medication could be deadly.

The Side Effects of Medication Errors

Medication errors can have severe consequences for patients, ranging from mild discomfort to life-threatening complications. Here are some ways in which medication errors can harm patients:

• Adverse reactions: Giving the wrong medication or the wrong dosage can lead to adverse reactions in patients. These reactions can range from mild allergic responses to severe side effects such as organ damage or anaphylaxis.
• Worsening of medical condition: If a patient receives the wrong medication or incorrect dosage, it may fail to treat their condition effectively, or even exacerbate it. This can lead to prolonged illness, increased pain, or progression of the disease.
• Drug interactions: Mixing incompatible medications can lead to harmful drug interactions. These interactions may reduce the effectiveness of one or more medications, increase the risk of side effects, or even result in toxic reactions.
• Delayed treatment: Errors in medication administration may result in delays in providing necessary treatment to patients. This delay can allow the underlying condition to worsen, potentially leading to complications or even death.
• Organ damage: Some medications are known to be toxic to certain organs, such as the kidneys or liver. Administering the wrong medication or an incorrect dosage can lead to organ damage or failure, which can have serious long-term consequences for the patient's health.
• Psychological effects: Medication errors can also have psychological effects on patients, leading to anxiety, distrust in healthcare providers, and fear of future treatments. These psychological effects can impact the patient's overall well-being and their willingness to seek medical care in the future.
• Legal consequences: In cases of severe harm or death resulting from medication errors, healthcare providers and institutions may face legal repercussions. This can lead to lawsuits, loss of medical licenses, and damage to the reputation of healthcare facilities.
• Financial burden: Treating the consequences of medication errors, such as additional medical interventions or extended hospital stays, can impose a significant financial burden on patients and their families. This burden may include costs related to additional medications, procedures, or rehabilitation services.

Determining Liability for a Medication Error

The truth is that multiple parties could be responsible for a medication error. Here are some of the key individuals or entities that could potentially be held liable:

• Healthcare providers: This category includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals involved in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medications. If a healthcare provider makes an error in prescribing the wrong medication, giving the wrong dosage, or failing to provide adequate instructions or warnings about a medication, they may be held liable for any resulting harm to the patient.
• Pharmaceutical companies: In cases where the medication itself is defective or dangerous, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures or distributes the medication may be held liable for any harm caused to patients. This could include issues such as manufacturing defects, inadequate warnings or instructions, or failure to recall a dangerous drug.
• Healthcare facilities: Hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities may be held liable for medication errors that occur within their premises or under their supervision. This could include failures in implementing proper medication safety protocols, inadequate training of staff, or understaffing issues that contribute to errors.
• Pharmacy staff: Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who dispense medications may be held liable for errors such as dispensing the wrong medication, incorrect dosage, or failing to identify potential drug interactions. Pharmacies may also be held accountable for errors in their medication dispensing processes or inadequate supervision of pharmacy staff.
• Healthcare systems: In cases where systemic failures contribute to medication errors, such as inadequate communication between healthcare providers, lack of standardized protocols, or faulty electronic health record systems, the healthcare system as a whole may be held liable for any resulting harm to patients.
• Third-party vendors: In some cases, third-party vendors responsible for providing medication-related services, such as electronic prescribing systems or medication dispensing machines, may be held liable if their products or services contribute to medication errors.
• Individual practitioners: In certain situations, individual practitioners such as locum tenens physicians or independent contractors providing healthcare services may be held individually liable for medication errors that occur under their care.

Contact Our Firm Today for a Free Consultation

At the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg, our legal team understands the hardships that come as the result of medication errors. Backed by ample experience, our firm stands ready to pursue maximum monetary compensation for any medical expenses, emotional distresses, and lost wages you may have acquired as a result of a medical professional’s negligence. We invite you to contact our Orange County medication error attorneys for more information on your rights and legal options.

Do not wait to retain the legal advocacy you need. Call the Law Office of Marshall Silberberg today! We have handled numerous medical malpractice cases.