All it takes is one prescription error to result in severe side effects. Identifying the causes of prescription errors might help reduce them. This can also help those who want to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. Compensation from this lawsuit can help cover medical bills and lost wages. Talk to a New York City medical malpractice lawyer to find out what steps this requires.

What Causes Prescription Errors?

Several factors contribute to prescription errors, some intentional and others accidental. In either case, the responsible party could be held liable depending on what the consequences of the error were. Being aware of the most common causes of prescription errors can help you prove negligence in your malpractice claim.

Most medication errors in hospitals happen with intravenous injections. Whereas many medication errors through pharmacists involve oral medications. For both cases, prescription errors are most often caused by:

• Similar sounding medications
  
• Large variety of medications to search through
• Confusion from the use of medication acronyms
• Low staff numbers
• Feeling rushed
• Improper training or lack of experience
• Medical miscalculations
• Illegible medication prescriptions

Prescription errors mainly happen due to a lack of training or understanding. A prescription can be easily miscommunicated or misunderstood due to illegible handwriting or minor mistakes. One decimal point or letter is often enough to lead to the wrong dose or medication.

Rush hour and staffing shortages can place nurses and other health workers in high-stress situations. This pressure can lead to rushed thinking and decision-making, increasing the chances of an error.

Can I Sue for a Prescription Error?

You might be wondering when you can sue for a prescription error. Whether someone could file a medical malpractice lawsuit depends on if negligence caused harm to that person. In other words, you must have suffered harm from the prescription error to sue.

Harm from a prescription error could look like:

• Symptoms worsening due to a lack of treatment
• Severe side effects
• Falling into a coma
• Overdosing
• Severe allergic reactions

For a medical malpractice lawsuit to work, four factors must be proven that include a duty to the patient, breach of that duty, damages, and causation. The duty to the patient can be proven with a signed contract with the prescribing doctor. A breach in this duty is proven by showing evidence of negligent or careless actions taken by the health professional.

Damages are proven with medical records of the harm caused by the medication error. Causation requires you to prove the health professional directly caused you harm. Try contacting a New York City medical malpractice lawyer to find out how to prove these factors.

New York City Medical Malpractice Lawyer

Recovering from the harm caused by a medication error can be difficult. Call the Sullivan and Brill Law Firm today at (212) 566-1000 to speak with a New York medical malpractice attorney for a free consultation. Our Westchester County lawyers can help you seek compensation for lost income, pain and suffering, and medical costs. We serve clients in New York City, Long Island, Kings, Bronx, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, and Rockland Counties, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.