According to data from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), medication and pharmacy errors harm over 1.5 million patients for a total cost of $77 billion annually. If a pharmacist dispenses the wrong medication, the results can be disastrous. Incorrect drugs can cause severe injuries, and a lack of appropriate care can cause existing conditions to become worse.
If you have been the victim of a pharmacy error, you may have a claim for financial compensation for your injuries. The attorneys at Marks & Harrison can help pursue compensation from irresponsible pharmacists, technicians, labeling companies, drug manufacturers, and anyone else who may bear responsibility for hurting you. We are relentless in seeking justice and have recovered millions for our highly satisfied clients.
If you need the help of a pharmacy error lawyer in Richmond, contact us today.
What Is a Pharmacy Error?
A pharmacy error happens when a pharmacist makes a mistake concerning medicine, such as dispensing the wrong medication or incorrect labeling. Pharmacy errors are a type of pharmacist negligence and are usually considered a form of medical malpractice. Pharmacists must abide by strict standards and regulations, so they can be legally liable for any mistakes they make that cause harm.
How Do Pharmacy Errors Happen?
Pharmacy errors occur when a pharmacist or pharmacist technician is negligent. An error can happen because of:
- Lack of knowledge
- Inexperienced staff
- Insufficient pharmacist training
- Fatigue
- Lack of care
- Heavy workloads
- Time pressures to fill prescriptions
- Illegible handwriting
- Technological malfunctions, such as a labeling machine printing the incorrect label.
What Are Some Different Types of Pharmacy Errors in Richmond?
Some of the most common pharmacy errors we encounter include:
- Wrong prescription — A pharmacist might switch two patients’ prescriptions or fill one with an incorrect product.
- Expired drugs — Expired drugs may lose their potency and can have unintended effects on patient health. For instance, some antibiotics can become contaminated with bacteria after they expire.
- Incorrect label — A pharmacist may put the wrong label on a prescription drug product with incorrect dosing requirements.
- Wrong dosage — If the pharmacist gives the patient a higher dosage, they could overdose or experience other complications. Too little of a dosage may worsen or prolong the patient’s condition.
- Inadequate use instructions — Medication that has either missing, incorrect, or inadequate instructions can harm someone if they misuse it.
- Failure to note contraindications — Some drug products can cause bad reactions when taken together. Pharmacists should be aware of these dangers when filling prescriptions.
What Are the Ramifications of a Pharmacy Error?
Pharmacy errors can have severe and far-reaching consequences. Incorrectly dispensing medication can be extremely harmful and cause long-term complications, such as paralysis, loss of vision, organ damage, nerve damage, and even death. A patient’s condition may progress and worsen while receiving the wrong medicine. Some medications can be fatal if the patient takes too much or has a negative interaction with other medications.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Pharmacy Error?
Depending on the nature of the medication error, multiple parties could bear liability, such as:
- Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can be liable when they dispense incorrect medications, mix up prescriptions, or commit some other kind of negligent error.
- Drug manufacturers can be liable for incorrectly labeled medication.
- The creators of dispensers or computerized data systems can share responsibility if their error contributed to the patient’s injuries.
Determining who’s at fault for your injuries will depend on identifying the factors that led to the pharmacy error in the first place. We have extensive experience investigating malpractice claims and can turn to various sources of evidence, such as pharmacy records, incorrect medications, and expert testimony, to prove your case.
What Damages Could You Seek in a Richmond Pharmacy Error Lawsuit?
Injuries from pharmacy errors can incur expenses between medical bills and being unable to work. A personal injury lawsuit can help victims recover their losses. A medical malpractice lawyer from Marks & Harrison can seek compensation for your:
- Medical costs you incurred due to the pharmacy injury
- Future expected medical costs from further complications
- Lost wages from missing work, including salary, hourly pay, bonuses, commissions, and other compensation
- Reductions in lifetime earning capacity due to impairments or disability
- Other out-of-pocket injury expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life.
Our attorneys will examine every possible angle of your case and pursue all liable parties to demand as much compensation as possible. We look beyond the typical injury expenses so you have enough funds to recover and rebuild your life.
Does Virginia Set a Time Limit for Filing a Pharmacy Error Claim?
Under Virginia law, you generally have two years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit, including for pharmacy errors. After two years, you can no longer file a claim to recover compensation.
However, the time limit may be extended in certain medical malpractice cases. For instance, if you don’t initially discover the error because the at-fault party hides the mistake, lies about it, or covers it up on purpose, you have a year from when you discover or should discover it to file. Additionally, for medical malpractice victims under age 8, you must bring the claim for the child by their 10th birthday.
Virginia puts a 10-year limit on most medical malpractice claims, though. No lawsuit for injuries can occur if more than 10 years have passed, with few exceptions. An experienced Virginia medical malpractice attorney knows these complex rules and can determine your case’s deadline.
Contact a Richmond Pharmacy Error Lawyer
Pharmacy errors can have tremendous consequences, and victims deserve a chance to hold irresponsible medical professionals accountable. Marks & Harrison has been protecting injury victims in Virginia for over 100 years and has secured some of the largest settlements and verdicts in the state’s history. Many of our 30 attorneys and 100+ staff members have experience in the insurance industry, so we are uniquely suited to pursue injury claims for our clients. We are unafraid to stand up to big insurance companies for our clients and will not stop until we have exhausted every possible avenue to maximize your compensation.
Contact us online or call today for a free consultation with a Richmond pharmacy error lawyer.
