Patients in any hospital setting are often treated using an assortment of medications that, when use incorrectly or without proper care, can result in further injury to the patient. In some of these cases where negligence can be established as the cause of the error, then a medical malpractice complaint can formally be filed in civil court holding liable the hospital or medical professionals for any injury caused the patient.
Types of Medication Errors
There are several categories of medication errors that are most prevalent in hospital settings and may lead to undue injury to a patient.
Overdose/Dosage Errors
Dosages are critical in the administration of any type of medication or drug. While small doses often include mild side-effects, increasingly larger doses amplify those side effect to the point of serious patient injury and even permanent disability.
Administration Errors
If a medication is administered incorrectly, the absorption rate of the drug can have implications. This often occurs when an intravenous administration is performed where an intramuscular technique should be used.
Polypharmacological
When multiple medications are administered without consideration of the "intermingling" of the chemical cocktails, patients can suffer severe illness or injury.
Failure to Check Patient Records
Most commonly in this category, a patient may be given a drug to which he or she is allergic. If that allergy was known in their medical records but the professional failed to check for it, this could be considered negligence.
Negligence and Malpractice Complaints
If a patient is caused illness, injury or otherwise harmed unnecessarily do to the negligence of a medical professional, a complaint may be filed in civil court for the malpractice. In order to have a valid claim for which to seek compensation, it must be shown by expert medical testimony that the medical professional deviated from the "standard of medical care", and that this deviation cause a patient injury.
Talk to a medical malpractice lawyer to find out more about your legal rights and options regarding medication errors.
