If you have been injured or ill, and need to visit a doctor or go to the hospital, chances are pretty good you will be prescribed medication to deal with your condition. Unfortunately, mistakes are not uncommon when it comes to the administration of pharmaceutical products. A doctor or physician may make an error when writing the prescription, or a pharmacist may fill the prescription with the wrong drug. There can also be mistakes regarding prescribed dosages. In hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices, where you must rely on someone else to administer the medication, many other errors can occur. Nurses or other caregivers may fail to properly screen you to determine allergies to medication. Hospitals may have poor systems in place, such that you get the wrong drug, get too much or too little, or are forgotten entirely.
A study published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2006 concluded that up to 7,000 people die in the United States every year because of medication errors, from adverse reactions to drugs to failure to obtain necessary medication. The study identified those drugs that most frequently result in injuries. Approximately 8 percent of drug errors involve Insulin, whereas more than 6 percent result from the use of anticoagulants. Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen are also high on the list.
If you have suffered needless injury because of the negligent administration of medication, you may have a claim for damages. You must show that the medical professional or organization had a duty to use a certain standard of care, and failed to do so. You must also show that the failure caused you injury.
At the law office of Sackstein, Sackstein & Lee, LLP we bring more than 60 years of experience to people who have suffered personal injury, including people who have been injured because of medication errors. We will help you seek damages for all your losses, including wages and income, medical expenses, loss of companionship or consortium, and physical pain and suffering. We handle all types of injury claims, from infections to paralysis to heart or vital organ damage. We also take wrongful death cases.
For a private meeting with an experienced New York personal injury lawyer, contact our office online or call us toll free at 888-519-6400. Your first consultation is without cost or obligation.
