Medication Errors
Medication errors involve mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, or administering drugs that cause harm to the patient. These errors can occur at any stage of the medication process and may involve the wrong drug, wrong dosage, dangerous drug interactions, or failure to account for known patient allergies. Medication errors are among the most preventable forms of medical malpractice and affect millions of patients annually.
Average Settlement Range
$200,000 - $600,000
Actual values depend on injury severity, state laws, and specific case circumstances.
Common Examples
- Prescribing a medication to which the patient has a documented allergy
- Administering the wrong dosage, especially with high-risk drugs like blood thinners or opioids
- Failing to check for dangerous drug interactions with the patient's current medications
- Pharmacy dispensing errors, including providing the wrong medication or incorrect strength
- Medication administration errors in hospitals, such as giving drugs to the wrong patient
- Failure to monitor patients on medications that require regular blood level checks
Key Facts
- 1The Institute of Medicine estimates that medication errors harm at least 1.5 million people in the United States each year
- 2Liability in medication error cases can extend to physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and hospitals depending on where the error occurred
- 3Electronic prescribing systems and barcode scanning have reduced but not eliminated medication errors in hospital settings
- 4Cases involving high-alert medications such as anticoagulants, insulin, and chemotherapy agents tend to result in higher damages due to the severity of potential harm
- 5Pharmacy records, medication administration records (MARs), and electronic health record audit trails are critical evidence in these cases
- 6Expert testimony often focuses on whether proper safety protocols and verification steps were followed at each stage of the medication process
Think You Have a Medication Errors Case?
If you believe you or a loved one was harmed by medication errors, it is important to understand your state's laws and act within the statute of limitations.