An adverse drug event (ADE) is the medical term for when a medication harms a patient. ADEs cause nearly 700,000 emergency room visits and 100,000 hospitalizations each year, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). An estimated 50% of ADEs are due to preventable errors.
Mistakes involving medications can be serious. Drug errors can lead to hospitalization, permanent disability, birth defects, and death. If a mistake with your medication harmed you, a Los Angeles wrong medication and drug errors lawyer with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you seek damages for your injuries. Contact our team at (800) 970-4884 to learn more about what we can do for you.
About Wrong Medication and Drug Errors
Medication errors can happen anywhere from your home to a hospital, nursing home facility, or doctor’s office. They can involve prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or a combination of both.
People of any age can have an ADE, but children can be at high risk because their weight may require adjustments to the medication dosage. Elderly patients also are particularly vulnerable to drug errors because they often take multiple prescriptions and can be more susceptible to adverse side effects.
The process of medicating a patient begins when a doctor orders a prescription. The prescription is then transcribed, or written, sometimes by a doctor, sometimes by another health care professional. The transcribed prescription is interpreted by a pharmacist or drug technician, who then fills the order for the drug. The final step is administration, when the patient receives the drug. Wrong medication and drug errors can happen at any stage of this process.
According to a study published on the StatPearls Publishing, ordering errors, such as health care providers transcribing the wrong medication, wrong dose, or wrong frequency of dosage, account for 50% of all medication mistakes. The same study found that physician distraction may cause up to 75% of these errors.
The side effects of taking the wrong medication vary depending on the drug, the dosage, and factors unique to each patient. Adverse drug events can be serious, resulting in life-threatening medical situations, permanent physical damage, and death.
If an ADE injured you, your suffering could be because of a medical professional’s mistake in prescribing or administering your medication. A Los Angeles wrong medication and drug errors lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to represent you in a medical malpractice lawsuit against the responsible party. Call us to learn more.
California Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
When you put your health in the hands of a doctor or other medical professional, you are entrusting them with your care. They have a duty to treat you with the best standards of their profession, and a failure to do so could result in harm.
If you or a loved one has suffered because of a wrong medication or drug error, it could be because of a health care provider’s negligence. Failing to learn about other prescriptions and over-the-counter medications you are taking, failure to learn about your pre-existing medical conditions or allergies, or being distracted when ordering or administering medications all could be considered negligent behaviors. However, these are just a few examples of how drug errors can occur.
A Los Angeles wrong medication and drug errors lawyer from Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to help you seek awards for injuries and illnesses from medication errors. You may be entitled to seek compensation for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. If your loved one died from drug errors of being administered the wrong medications, you may be able to recover a different set of awards in a wrongful death lawsuit.
A statute of limitations applies to medical malpractice lawsuits in California. CCP § 340.5 allows victims one year after they discover their injuries, but not longer than three years after they first occurred, to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. There may be circumstances in your case that alter this deadline. If you wish to pursue damages, it is important to begin your lawsuit before time runs out.
California law also requires patients to give health care professionals 90-days’ notice before filing suit. An attorney with Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help you through this process when we represent you.
For a free legal consultation with a Wrong Medication and Drug Errors Lawyer serving Los Angeles, call (800) 970-4884
Los Angeles Wrong Medication and Drug Errors Lawyer Near Me (800) 970-4884
How Pintas & Mullins Law Firm Can Help You
You do not need to take on the medical provider responsible for your injuries alone. Pintas & Mullins Law Firm may be able to handle your medical malpractice lawsuit while you concentrate on your recovery. This would allow a Los Angeles wrong medication and drug errors lawyer from our firm to:
- Answer your questions, provide legal advice, and keep your posted on your case
- Handle all legal deadlines, paperwork, and communications in your behalf
- Identify the liable party
- Collect evidence of their liability
- Hire medical experts to testify in your defense
- Gather evidence of the extent of your injuries
- Negotiate with the responsible party’s insurance company for a fair settlement
- Take your case to trial, if necessary
If you suspect that medical negligence caused you to receive the wrong medication, call Pintas & Mullins Law Firm at (800) 970-4884. A member of our team is standing by to discuss your case in a free, no-obligation consultation. We do not shy away from tough cases and can pursue any party liable for your injuries when we represent you.
Pintas & Mullins Law Firm works on a contingency-fee basis, so you pay nothing upfront or out of pocket. Our attorney’s fee comes from any settlement you may achieve.
Call or text (800) 970-4884 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
