Medication Errors Lawyers in Southern California

Responsible Parties in Medication Error Cases

It’s hard to imagine a trained healthcare professional making a mistake related to medication, but it’s a reality that many people have to face. Some of the parties who make medication errors—and therefore may be held liable if you are injured—include:

Doctors

Doctors can be held liable if they accidentally prescribe the wrong medication to you. Also, if a doctor makes a calculation error and prescribes you the wrong dose of a medication, they could be held liable if you are injured as a result of taking it.

Nurses

Even though doctors write the prescriptions, nurses are often the ones who administer medications when a patient is in a hospital or nursing home. If a nurse accidentally administers the wrong medication, or administers the wrong amount of a medication, they can be held liable for your injuries. Nurses can also be held liable if they administer the medication incorrectly. For instance, some medications need to be injected directly into the muscle. If the nurse injects it into the bloodstream instead, this is another type of medication error.

Pharmacists

Pharmacists who fill your prescription may also be held liable for medication errors. For example, a pharmacist may misread what the doctor has prescribed you and give you the wrong medication as a result.

Manufacturer

If the manufacturer has accidentally mislabeled a medication, they may be held liable if you are given the wrong medication as a result.

It’s possible for more than one party to be at fault for your injuries. For example, if a doctor who is fully aware of your medical history prescribes you a medication that may interfere with medication you are taking, they may be held liable. A pharmacist who reviews your medical history and does not inform you of the interaction between the two medications may also be held liable in this case. Proving liability can be complex, which is why you should always rely on an experienced personal injury attorney to represent you in medication error cases.