Most Common Causes of Pharmacist Medication Errors

Medication errors can happen in a variety of ways. Doctors, nurses, and pharmacists can all succumb to these types of errors. Being aware of some of the most common pharmacist medication errors may help you better identify them if you experience harm from a medication. Depending on what happened, you could be eligible for compensation. Reach out to a Wilmington medical malpractice lawyer to learn more.

COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY PHARMACISTS

With so much going on at once, many pharmacists can make minor errors that lead to bigger problems for patients. The two most common types of pharmacist errors are mechanical errors and judgmental errors. Learning about these errors can help when you are trying to sue a pharmacist for a medication error.

Mechanical errors happen when a pharmacist makes a mistake during the dispensing or preparation phase for the medication. Dispensing is the process of matching the details of the prescription to the in-store product details and filling the right dose. Several errors can happen during dispensing like:

• Providing or filling the wrong dose
• Administering the wrong drug
• Giving the patient incorrect directions
• Filling the wrong medication strength or quantity

Judgmental errors happen when a pharmacist makes mistakes that require professional judgment and competence. Common examples of errors in this category include:

• Not correcting dangerous drug interactions
• Not counseling the patient about side effects and when to follow-up with their doctor
• Failing to monitor or properly follow-up with patient concerns
• Failure to keep up with medication expiration dates
• Using outdated prescribing and dispensing methods

Detecting some of these errors is easier than others. Certain errors can be almost impossible to know about unless you were there with the pharmacist. Consider contacting a Wilmington medical malpractice lawyer if you suffered harm from a medication. A lawyer can help you investigate the cause.

WHEN CAN I SUE FOR A MEDICATION ERROR?

You might be able to sue for a medication error if you can prove a pharmacist or other medical professional was at fault. To file a medical malpractice lawsuit, you must also prove that you suffered harm in the form of damages. These damages may include psychological or physical harm.

Causation needs to be proven with evidence of an act of omission or commission committed by the medical professional. A duty to the patient must also be proven and is generally considered established when a pharmacist fills your prescription. Negligence, the medication error, must be proven with as much evidence as possible.

Finding evidence for each of these factors in a malpractice claim is not always easy. This is when a lawyer might be able to help with proving your claim through evidence and testimonies.

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE LAWYER IN DELAWARE

You may not have to pay for the damages caused by a pharmaceutical error. Start by contacting Edelstein Martin & Nelson today at (302) 295-5050 to talk with a Delaware medical malpractice attorney for a consultation. Our legal team is ready to help you obtain compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost income.