Medication Errors – Washington Medical Negligence Attorneys

The law firm of Phillips & Webster, with offices in Woodinville, Bellevue, and Seattle, Washington, is home to some of the state's most skilled personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys. Because we have litigated so many hundreds of medical negligence cases, our lawyers are tragically well aware of the grave realities surrounding medication errors in the United States healthcare system. Each year, at least 1.5 million people are affected by medication errors. Furthermore, the Institute of Medicine reported in 2000 that prescription errors account for more than 7,000 wrongful deaths every year in the United States alone. Read on to get the facts on medication errors, how they can cause severe personal injury or death, and how we can help victims obtain just compensation for this egregious form of medical malpractice.

• Medical Negligence Leading to Medication Errors
• Injuries Caused by Medication Errors

Medical Negligence Leading to Medication Errors

Most experts attribute medication errors to the fact that our hospitals and pharmacies are understaffed and improperly and inadequately stocked and inventoried. Poor training and communication errors, whether they are amongst medical professionals or between professionals and patients, also play a large role in the increasing problem of prescription errors in the United States. Regardless of who is responsible for an error in medication, such mistakes can have dire consequences for patients.

At the law offices of Phillips & Webster, our medical malpractice lawyers have successfully litigated on behalf of victims in many negligence cases surrounding medication errors. The most common medication errors we see include the prescription of an incorrect medication, the administration of an improper dosage, the combination of incompatible drugs, and the prescription of a medication to a patient who is known to be allergic.

If you or someone you love may have incurred injury, illness, or worse as the result of an error in the prescription or administration of a drug, please contact the attorneys at the firm of Phillips & Webster for representation. While our first priority is always to assist victims in the recovery of damages, such as past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more, it is also our sincere hope that our medication error litigation will be beneficial in the prevention of such mistakes in the future.

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Injuries Caused by Medication Errors

The most common effects of medication errors are internal bleeding and kidney damage. Other common injuries or damage sustained by victims of prescription error are hypertensia, brain injury, permanent disability, severe chemical burns to the digestive system, liver damage, coma, and the wrongful death of a patient.

If you suspect that you or someone you love has been the victim of a prescription error, the first thing to do is to seek emergency medical care. Provide your full medical history to all caregivers, and be sure to save the bottle or package of the medication you think did you harm. Not only can this help caregivers properly address your symptoms, but it is essential evidence to any future medical malpractice claims you may wish to file.

Injuries sustained as the result of prescription or pharmaceutical error are more common and more costly than many Americans imagine. The added medical costs for the treatment of drug-related injuries in hospitals alone are estimated to be at least $3.5 billion a year. This does not include payments that are the result of legal action, through which victims may be compensated for past and future medical bills, lost wages, lost spousal support, pain and suffering, and a number of other claims. While there is no way to financially compensate a victim for his or her injuries, loss of trust in healthcare professionals, or loss of a loved one that results from a medication error, our attorneys strive to garner awards for these and other losses with the hope that victims and their families may move on.

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Contact Our Experienced Team of Washington Medical Malpractice Attorneys

If you believe you or someone you love has suffered an injury or worse as the result of a prescription error, you need the help of an experienced medical negligence lawyer. Malpractice cases surrounding medication errors are especially complicated, since a number of parties could be involved in the prescription and administration of the medication in question. The medical malpractice attorneys at the Seattle, Washington-area firm of Phillips & Webster are familiar with the details of Washington State medical malpractice laws, and can help you construct a strong case and garner the compensation to which you are entitled. We urge you to contact one of our attorneys as soon as possible, since there is a statute of limitations on these types of claims under which your legal right to compensation may expire. Call us today for a complimentary review of your case.

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