We rely on our doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and give us the correct medication to treat our illness or medical condition. When a pharmacy makes a prescription error, it can cause severe injuries and harm. In some cases, a pharmacy error can cause a wrongful death. The Boston pharmacy errors lawyers of Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers have been assisted clients in Boston, Massachusetts, for over a decade.
We fight for our clients’ rights to receive fair and just compensation for their injuries and damages caused by medication errors. Our legal team has recovered six-figure awards for our clients. Contact us online or call at (774)-341-5778 to request a free consultation with one of our Boston personal injury attorneys.
Massachusetts law only gives you three years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit to recover your damages. So, it’s important to contact an experienced Boston pharmacy error attorney immediately after your accident.
How Our Experienced Boston Pharmacy Error Lawyers Can Help If You’ve Been Injured Because of a Pharmacy Error
You have the right to consult with experienced Boston pharmacy error lawyers. Do not allow an insurance company to convince you that it is in your best interest to settle a claim without a lawyer. You are not alone.
Our Boston personal injury lawyers at Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP have considerable experience handling these types of personal injury cases.
We have the resources, skills, and experience you want on your side as you go up against a massive insurance company and a large corporation. Our century of combined experience has taught us how to win cases for our clients.
When you hire Sweeney Merrigan Law, LLP, you can expect us to:
- Listen to what happened to you and explain your legal rights in a way that is easy to understand
- Investigate your claim thoroughly and provide an honest assessment of your case
- Handle all communications with the insurance company
- File insurance claims and work to settle those claims for maximum compensation
- Monitor all deadlines for filing personal injury lawsuits.
- Represent your best interests inside and outside of the courtroom
We vigorously fight to get you the top award available for your claim. Recovering maximum compensation for you is the goal of everything we do as we handle your case.
Contact our Boston pharmacy error attorneys in Boston, MA, to request your free consultation. We are here to help you when you need a trusted legal advocate on your side.
How Often Do Pharmacy Errors Occur?
Approximately 7,000 to 9,000 people die each year in the United States because of medication errors. Hundreds of thousands of patients may experience adverse effects from medication errors but never report the incidents. The FDA estimated that up to 1.3 million people sustain injuries because of medication errors each year.
Medication errors can occur at each phase of the chain, from the prescribing physician to the person taking the medication. Pharmacy errors account for many of the medication mistakes made each year.
What Are the Common Causes of Pharmacy Errors?
Many pharmacy errors involve one of two types of mistakes – errors in judgment or mechanical errors.
Errors in judgment might include:
- Failing to obtain an allergy history
- Making assumptions about a poorly written prescription instead of checking with the physician
- Failing to provide information to the patient about drug interactions, known risks, and side effects
- Inadequate drug utilization review
Mechanical errors may include dispensing the incorrect medication, the wrong dosage, giving the patient someone else’s prescription, using an expired product, and giving the patient the wrong material with the medication.
Pharmacists make mistakes due to fatigue from overworking, distractions, lack of training, working under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and lack of support staff.
Common Types of Injuries Caused by Pharmacy & Medication Errors
The injuries caused by pharmacy errors range from mild side effects to death. The extent of the harm and injury depends on the type of medication, the person’s health conditions, the medication dosage, how long the patient takes the medication, and other factors.
Potential injuries from errors and mistakes from taking the wrong filled prescriptions include:
- Worsening of a current medical condition or illness
- Potential adverse events such as damage to internal organs
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Permanent nerve damage
- Seizures and convulsions
- Heart attacks, high blood pressure, and strokes
- Developing complications and life-threatening conditions
Individuals who discover they have been taking the wrong prescription medication need to contact their physician immediately. Depending on the situation, emergency medical attention might be required. If you experience chest pains, high or low blood pressure, or other life-threatening symptoms, go to the emergency room immediately for care.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Pharmacy Error?
You are entitled to economic and non-economic damages if you’ve been injured due to a medical professional’s negligence. Economic damages compensate you for financial losses arising from your injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, and future lost earnings. Non-economic damages compensate for damages that are not monetary in nature, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and more.
When Can You File A Claim For A Pharmacy Error?
Pharmacists have a duty of care owed to individuals purchasing medication from the pharmacy. When this duty of care is breached, this negligence may lead to severe injury on the victim’s part. As a result, the victim may have sufficient evidence to file a claim against the at-fault party in order to obtain fair compensation for their losses.
How to Prove Liability in a Pharmacy Error Claim
To prove that a pharmacy or pharmacist is at fault for your injuries, you must be able to prove the four elements of negligence. These four elements include:
- The at-fault party owed you a duty of care
- The duty of care owed to you was breached
- The injury you suffered was caused by their negligence
- Your injuries resulted in losses
The pharmacist has a duty to question prescriptions that are illegibly written. If the medication or dose appears incorrect, a pharmacist should verify the information with the doctor before filling the prescription.
Medical experts are retained to review and analyze the facts of the case. You need to prove that the medication caused your harm and the pharmacist was negligent in giving you the medication. Medical experts can assist in proving both legal requirements. To get help proving that the pharmacist’s negligence is what led to your injuries and losses, contact a trusted medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Boston Pharmacy Error Lawyers
Medical malpractice cases that involve pharmacy errors can easily become confusing and overwhelming for victims due to the intricacy of the litigation. Working with an experienced pharmacy error lawyer with a proven track record is essential to the success of your claim. The Boston pharmacy errors lawyers from Sweeney Merrigan Personal Injury Lawyers have helped clients recover fair compensation for their losses and injuries.
If you have suffered losses due to prescription errors, our team of trusted medical malpractice lawyers wants to help you get justice. Call 774-341-5778 or fill out our contact form to learn more about what our firm can do for your claim and to schedule a free consultation.
