Prescription Errors Lawyer in Massachusetts

Prescription Errors as Medical Malpractice

Prescription errors encompass a range of mistakes in the ordering, dispensing, and management of medications: prescribing a drug to which the patient has a known allergy, prescribing a dose far outside the therapeutic range, failing to recognize contraindications with existing medications, failing to monitor drug levels for medications with narrow therapeutic windows, and pharmacists who fill prescriptions incorrectly or dispense the wrong drug or strength entirely. Each of these errors can cause serious harm, and each creates potential malpractice liability for the responsible provider. Attorney Jeffrey C. Lavey represents prescription error victims throughout Massachusetts.

Physician Prescribing Errors

Physicians bear responsibility for the accuracy and appropriateness of every prescription they write. A physician who prescribes a medication without reviewing the patient’s allergy history, fails to recognize a dangerous drug interaction with existing medications, prescribes a dosage inappropriate for the patient’s weight or renal function, or fails to monitor a patient on a medication known to require regular laboratory monitoring may be liable for resulting harm. Electronic prescribing systems are designed to flag many of these errors, but the systems can be overridden and the physician retains ultimate responsibility.

Pharmacy Dispensing Errors

Pharmacists have an independent professional obligation to verify prescriptions before dispensing. A pharmacist who dispenses the wrong drug because of a name confusion error, dispenses the wrong strength of the correct drug, fills a prescription for a quantity that exceeds normal therapeutic doses without verifying the prescriber’s intent, or fails to identify a dangerous drug interaction before dispensing has committed a professional error for which the pharmacist and the pharmacy corporation are liable. Attorney Lavey handles pharmacy dispensing error claims throughout Massachusetts.

Monitoring Errors for High-Risk Medications

Some medications require regular monitoring because the difference between therapeutic and toxic blood levels is narrow, or because the medication has well-known organ toxicity risks. Medications in this category, anticoagulants like warfarin, immunosuppressants, certain cardiac medications, and many others, require the prescribing physician to order and review regular laboratory tests and to adjust the dose based on those results. A physician who prescribes these medications without establishing an appropriate monitoring program, or who fails to follow up on laboratory results indicating toxicity, may be liable for the resulting harm.

Compensation for Prescription Error Victims

Prescription error compensation covers all medical expenses incurred in treating the harm caused by the error, all lost wages during treatment and recovery, pain and suffering from the resulting injury, and future medical costs for lasting consequences. In cases of severe harm caused by significant overdose or prolonged incorrect treatment, the damages can be substantial. Attorney Lavey pursues every element of compensation in every prescription error case.

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