Medication Error Attorney in West Virginia

Where Medication Errors Can Occur

Mistakes may occur in hospitals, pharmacies, outpatient practices, nursing facilities, and other healthcare settings. Responsibility often depends on who selected, prepared, labeled, dispensed, administered, or monitored the drug.

Potential medication errors include:

• Prescribing errors: Selecting the wrong medication or dosage, overlooking a documented allergy, or failing to account for a harmful drug interaction
• Pharmacy dispensing errors: Filling the wrong prescription, providing the wrong strength, applying an incorrect label, or supplying incomplete directions
• Medication administration errors: Giving a drug to the wrong patient, using the wrong dose or delivery method, or administering it at the wrong time
• Monitoring errors: Failing to respond appropriately to test results, symptoms, or medication-related complications

When a Side Effect May Point to Negligence

An unexpected side effect or poor treatment result doesn’t automatically establish medical negligence. A potential claim generally requires evidence of the applicable standard of care, a departure from that standard, a causal connection between the error and the injury, and legally recognized damages.

A known side effect may occur despite proper prescribing and monitoring. The analysis differs when a provider overlooks a documented allergy, a pharmacy supplies the wrong dosage, or hospital staff administer medication intended for another patient and the mistake causes harm.

Records that may clarify what happened include:

• Prescriptions and medication labels
• Pharmacy dispensing records and communications
• Medication administration records
• Allergy and drug interaction information
• Discharge instructions and subsequent treatment records