Examples of wrong medication errors include:
- Pharmacy gives a drug that sounds like the prescribed medication, for example Celebrex (an arthritis drug) and Cerebyx (an anticonvulsant).
- Pharmacy fills the prescription with a drug that looks like the prescribed drug, for example filling a prescription for Simvastatin (gebneric Zocor, a cholesterol drug) with Sertraline Hydrochloride (generic Zoloft, an antidepressant).
- A patient is given another patient’s prescription.
- The patient’s prescription is labeled with the correct name, but the wrong drug is inside.
- Providing the wrong dose of a drug.
- Pharmacy fails to identify potentially dangerous drug interactions when filling multiple prescriptions.
- Pharmacy fails to identify drug allergies.
- Pharmacy fails to double-check with doctors when there are questions about prescriptions.
- The wrong drug is prescribed.
There are many reasons why medication errors occur in Dallas pharmacies. These include:
- The prescription is illegible or difficult to read.
- A mistake is made in filling the prescription.
- The pharmacy is understaffed.
- The pharmacy staff is overworked or fatigued from too much overtime work.
- Untrained personnel may be allowed to work in the pharmacy.
- The pharmacy staff may not have been adequately trained.
- The pharmacist does not properly supervise pharmacy technicians.
- There is inadequate communication between pharmacy staff and prescribing doctor.
- There is poor patient counseling, including not asking a patient about other drugs used or drug allergies.
- Pharmacy staff may have been reduced for cost-savings.
Anyone hurt by a medication error in Texas has the right to file a Dallas drug error lawsuit. Suing the pharmacy that provided the wrong medication serves several purposes.
- The victim gets accountability for his injuries.
- The victim receives monetary compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and any other damages related to the medication mistake injury.
- The pharmacy becomes aware of the mistake that was made. The pharmacy must then try to prevent similar injuries in the future.
If you have suffered an injury caused by a medication error, please order a free copy of Dallas drug injury lawyer Jeff Rasansky’s book, The Epidemic of Medical Mistakes & Understanding Your Rights. To schedule an appointment to discuss your Texas medication error claim, contact Rasansky | McKenzie Law at (214) 651-6100.