Lake Forest Prescription Drug Errors Lawyer

Prescription drug errors are one of the most common errors made by hospitals, doctors, and pharmacies nationwide. Although many medication errors have little or no effect on patients, there are times when the wrong drug or the incorrect dosage can cause serious injuries to patients, some of which may be long-term or even permanent in nature. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in this type of situation, contacting a Lake Forest prescription drug errors lawyer may be a key first step toward recovering financially from your losses. A dedicated medical malpractice attorney may be able to investigate your case and determine whether you have any valid claims against negligent doctors, nurses, hospitals, or pharmacies.

Typical Causes of Prescription Drug Errors in Lake Forest

While prescription drug errors can happen in many different contexts, there are some situations that give rise to this kind of medication error more commonly than others. Typical causes of medical mistakes involving prescription drugs include:

  • Poor writing or typographical errors by doctors issuing a prescription
  • Failure of staff to check orders given by a doctor
  • Miscommunications among doctors, nurses, and pharmacists
  • Failure of medical staff to adequately review medical records and charts of patients to determine last dosage amounts and times of medications, as well as drug allergies

When these errors occur, it puts the patients at risk of overdose, allergic reactions, and dangerous drug interactions. These situations can quickly lead to serious injuries, some of which may be irreversible, so consulting with a Lake Forest prescription drug errors lawyer to assist with demonstrating legal negligence may be critical.

Restrictions on Lake Forest Prescription Drug Error Claims

California law does place some restrictions on the filing of medical malpractice suits and the compensation available to injury victims in these cases, as well as how long victims have to file civil lawsuits in court. Pursuant to California Code of Civil Procedure §340.5, anyone injured by medical malpractice—including prescription drug errors—generally must file suit no later than three years following the date of the alleged malpractice, or within one year of the date they discovered or should reasonably have discovered the injury, whichever occurs first.

Additionally, there are some exceptions for patients who are children under the age of six. In these cases, the deadline—or statute of limitations—is either three years or prior to the child’s eighth birthday, whichever period of time is longer. There also are some exceptions to the general statute of limitations for cases involving proof of fraud or intentional concealment.

Furthermore, damages in medical malpractice are limited to some degree. These damages usually consist of special (economic) damages and general (non-economic) damages. General damages, which consist of non-quantifiable losses such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life, are limited to a maximum of $250,000 under California Civil Code §3333.2.

There is no limit, however, on the amount of special damages that injury victims can potentially receive in medical malpractice claims involving prescription drug errors. Special damages can include expenses like medical bills, hospitalization costs, rehabilitation expenses, and lost wages if the injuries caused an inability to work for some time, or perhaps permanently.

Trust the Advice of a Lake Forest Prescription Drug Errors Attorney

When you or a loved one suffers injuries due to prescription drug errors or another type of medical malpractice, the changes to your life may be profound. You may develop dangerous medical conditions and even sustain permanent impairment in some cases. In this type of situation, it may be wise to consult a Lake Forest prescription drug errors lawyer for advice.

Working with experienced legal counsel could enable you to discover whether you have grounds for a valid medical malpractice claim. A strong representation may then be able to help ensure that you can recover the compensation to which you may be entitled. Call today to learn more.