Prescription Error Lawyer Phoenix & Tucson AZ | Medication Error Attorney Avondale & Scottsdale

Did You Receive the Wrong Prescription Because of an Error? Speak to an Attorney

Over a billion prescriptions are written every year, and each one has the potential to help a patient. When a prescription error is made, however, it can result in serious injury or even wrongful death. If you suspect that a prescription error has seriously injured you or a loved one, please talk to an experienced medical malpractice lawyer.

Prescription errors happen all too frequently—a doctor prescribes the wrong drug, the pharmacist fails to question a dangerous mixture of medications, or a nurse gives the wrong dosage. At Snyder & Wenner, P.C. in Phoenix, Arizona, we have the experience it takes to investigate and litigate prescription errors that cause serious injuries.

What Types of Prescription Errors Are Common?

Prescription drugs can be powerful healers when used properly. Unfortunately, mistakes are far too common. Sometimes the errors are caught before serious injury occurs. At other times, the drug results in catastrophic consequences. Some types of prescription errors include:

Physicians prescribing the wrong medication for a condition
Doctors prescribing the right medication but the wrong dosage or frequency
Physicians prescribing a medication that is dangerous to take with other prescribed medications taken by the same patient
Pharmacists failing to catch the doctor’s mistake
Pharmacists filling the wrong prescription or dosage
Pharmacists giving patients the wrong instructions for taking the medications
Doctors failing to monitor the drug’s effect on a patient
Doctors failing to carefully assess the need, risk, and effect of narcotic drugs

When a prescription error harms a patient, talk to an attorney.

No matter how busy a doctor or pharmacist is, there is no good excuse for making prescription errors. Patients harmed by prescription errors have the right to seek compensation for their injuries. Our medical malpractice attorneys have the experience and the client dedication to handle cases involving serious injuries and wrongful death.

At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., we focus our resources on the most complex and serious cases. In that way, we can give our full attention and concern to each case that we take. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured by a medication mistake, contact us for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer.

Prescription Errors FAQ

Where To Report Pharmacy Errors?

Depending on what the pharmacy error is, you can either report the error to the pharmacy, itself, or to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. In many instances, it may be important to report the error to both entities to ensure the problem is acknowledged and dealt with properly.

How Often Do Medication Errors Occur?

Unfortunately, medication errors happen quite frequently. Many times it starts with the doctor ordering the wrong prescription. Perhaps it is too dangerous because of a potential drug-drug interaction, or maybe it is too dangerous for the patient because of his or her health problems. It is the doctor’s responsibility to properly assess the patient and to choose the safest medication. There can also be errors at the pharmacy because the pharmacist does not know the patient like the treating doctor does. The pharmacy’s computer system may or may not indicate a potential dangerous medication for each particular patient. With these possible errors, and the millions of prescriptions being written each day, the errors are frequent.

How Do Pharmacy Errors Commonly Occur?

Most commonly, pharmacy errors occur when the pharmacy fills either the wrong prescription for a patient or fills the correct medicine but with the wrong dosage. These errors can be particularly devastating because not only is the person getting the wrong medicine to treat his/her condition, but a dosage that is too high can result in significant cardiac or other injuries.

What Is The Time Limit For Filing A Pharmacy Error Lawsuit?

For almost every pharmacy malpractice case, the person has 2 years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. It may be 2 years from the date the prescription was filled, but more often than not, it takes days, weeks, or even months for the error to become known. If the pharmacy happens to be run by the state/county/city, then you have 6 months to file a notice of claim from when you knew or should have known of the facts that would put you on notice to investigate the cause.

Who Is Responsible For Medication Errors?

In the pharmacy, itself, the pharmacist and/or technician are usually the ones responsible for a medication error. There is also the likelihood that the physician who ordered the medication is responsible for failing to choose the correct drug for this particular patient.

Why Do I Need A Pharmacy Error Attorney?

Pharmacy malpractice cases can be very complicated. There are many systems in place that the average customer is completely unaware of. The cases are also complicated by complex pharmacology issues, meaning how the drugs interact with each other to create the potential issue. An experienced pharmacy malpractice lawyer is needed to help you navigate these difficult cases.

Can I Sue A Pharmacy For Wrong Dosage?

The simple answer is yes, but it is not that straightforward. If the pharmacy fills a medication for you at the wrong dosage, that is negligent. To file a lawsuit, though, you also have to prove what injuries or damages were caused by that negligence. If the error did not actually cause any problems, or if they injuries were very minimal, then either there cannot be a lawsuit or it would be too difficult to prove for you. If, on the other hand, the injuries are severe, then a malpractice case can be filed.

Why Do Medication Errors Occur?

Medication errors most often occur because the people involved do not take the appropriate time to ensure the patient’s safety. The doctor prescribing or ordering the drug goes too fast and orders the wrong drug for his or her patient. The pharmacy then has thousands of prescriptions to fill and doesn’t take the necessary time to perform safety checks. All of these potential issues lead to the common occurrence of medication errors and pharmacy malpractice.

Did You Receive the Wrong Prescription Because of an Error? Speak to an Attorney

What Types of Prescription Errors Are Common?

Prescription Errors FAQ

Contact Us

Reference Materials

Snyder & Wenner, P.C.

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Prescription Drug or Medication Errors Attorney In Phoenix, AZ

Did You Receive the Wrong Prescription Because of an Error? Speak to an Attorney

What Types of Prescription Errors Are Common?

Prescription Errors FAQ

Contact Us

Reference Materials

Snyder & Wenner, P.C.

Map