Every year people are injured because they received the wrong drug at a hospital or from a pharmacy. Anyone being given a drug should look at it carefully and question anything that appears different (receiving a blue pill instead of the expected small white pill, for example). Unfortunately, different pills may look similar or the patient may be too ill to check. Overworked or improperly trained pharmacy personnel can put the wrong medication into the bottle. Cost-cutting efforts in hospitals can result in errors. In other cases, the medication may have been contaminated at the factory or on the pharmacy shelf.
Injuries caused from the wrong medications can range from minor to life-threatening. A minor reaction could be a 24-48 hour bout of flu-like symptoms. More serious complications can result if someone is given a drug that they should never take because of an illness or a reaction to another medication. Sometimes people receive the right medication but the wrong dose. Too small a dose would normally be inadequate to treat the condition it was prescribed for, while too large a dose could be extremely dangerous to some patients.
Any error should be reported in order to prevent others from being injured in the same way. Beyond that, consulting with an attorney experienced in injury cases is a safeguard against future losses (lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering etc.). Insurance companies will offer settlements far below what is justified and should not be accepted until they are reviewed by an attorney. Taking the wrong medications can have long-lasting consequences. Anyone in this position should consult an Accident Attorney Jefferson County MO.
The Lowry Law Firm is Jefferson County, Missouri’s largest law firm, focusing on criminal defense and personal injury cases since 1997. They also handle family law cases, DWI and Workers’ Compensation cases. Led by a former assistant prosecutor, this team of experienced professionals works hard to achieve the best result possible for their clients. The firm has the experience, knowledge and resources to successfully deal with large insurance companies and negligent individuals.
