Medication-related mistakes affect the lives of thousands of Americans every year. When a doctor prescribes the wrong medication and a patient is injured, the consequences can lead to permanent injury, worsening conditions, or even wrongful death. Doctors may be held accountable for incorrectly or carelessly prescribing prescription medication.
If you have reason to believe your doctor was negligent in prescribing you medication, contact a Phoenix medication & prescription errors attorney as soon as possible. A medical malpractice attorney will help you file a lawsuit to recover compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Common Errors When Prescribing Medication
There are several types of errors a physician can make when prescribing a medication. Some of the most common include the following:
- Prescribing a patient the wrong dosage;
- Prescribing a drug for an inappropriate length of time;
- Prescribing a drug that contains ingredients to which a patient is allergic;
- Recommending medication that interacts dangerously with another drug or drugs a patient currently uses;
- Prescribing medication that will be harmful to the patient due to an underlying medical condition;
- Suggesting a drug that is ineffective in treating a condition and results in the patient’s condition going untreated; and
- Prescribing a drug without telling the patient the manufacturer’s risks and side effects.
Seeking Compensation for a Prescription Error
Before pursuing a doctor in a medical malpractice lawsuit, other potentially liable parties must be ruled out. For example, a drug may harm a patient due to a manufacturing defect. Or the drug was the correct drug and the proper dosage, but the person administering the drug to the patient did so incorrectly. A pharmacist may make a mistake when filling a medication.
Once the appropriate party or parties are identified in a medical malpractice claim, a patient must prove that the at-fault party was negligent to have a successful lawsuit. In the case of a doctor prescribing the wrong medication, this requires the following be established:
- There was an official doctor-patient relationship. The physician agreed to treat the patient, and the patient consented to that treatment;
- The doctor’s actions in prescribing medication did not meet the established standard of care for the field of care; and
- The patient suffered an injury. There must be an injury or damages to receive compensation for a medical malpractice claim. Generally, a patient provides evidence to show they developed a new condition or their existing condition worsened due to the doctor’s actions.
Medical malpractice claims are complex and time-consuming. It is crucial to act quickly as there is a statute of limitations, or deadline, for filing a medical malpractice claim in Arizona. In Arizona, a patient has two years from the date of the negligent act to file a lawsuit; otherwise, they lose their right to obtain compensation for their injuries.
Contact an Experienced Arizona Medical Malpractice Attorney
At Knapp & Roberts, our medical malpractice attorneys in Phoenix have the experience needed to investigate your claim, present you with your legal options, and stand beside you throughout the medical malpractice claims process. We are compassionate attorneys who will fight for your legal rights and the compensation you need to move forward with your life.
Contact Knapp & Roberts today to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled medical malpractice attorneys. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your claim at your earliest convenience.