My Doctor Prescribed Me the Wrong Drug. What Should I Do?

Prescription Errors Do Happen in DC, Maryland, and Virginia

And, they are more common than you think. Here’s what can happen. Prescription Drug Errors in DC, Maryland, & Virginia

1. Your doctor simply prescribed you the wrong drug for your condition.
2. Your doctor prescribed a dose that was too low or too high for your specific problem.
3. Your doctor prescribed you a drug you’re allergic to (and they have your allergy information on file).
4. The pharmacist mislabeled the drug you’ve been given so you don’t know of the side effects.
5. Your doctor prescribed a drug that doesn’t interact well with the other drugs you’ve been prescribed.

All of these mistakes can cause injuries – sometimes minor, sometimes major, and sometimes even fatal. And all of these injuries are preventable. You’d be surprised at how easy some of these medical errors are to make – when it comes to dosage, for example, a wrongly placed decimal point can mean 100 times to low or too high a dosage for a patient.

Of course, this could be a serious issue. And that’s why hospitals, pharmacies, and doctor’s offices need systems in place to prevent medical mistakes. Many times, medical malpractice cases turn on whether the system failed – or there was no system at all to prevent harm to the patient. Not having safety systems in place is called a violation of Patient Safety Rules and we have represented many people over the years who were injured at a hospital or facility for no good reason at all; just because a simple quality control system was not in place.

What Can You Do About a Prescription Error in DC, Maryland, or Virginia?

If you feel you’ve been prescribed the wrong drug, there is plenty you can do about it.

First, contact your doctor or health care provider and inquire about the prescription. Take note of the side effects you are having (and not having), and let your healthcare provider know if you are not getting better.

Second, keep a copy of the prescription and the medication you were given. You’ll want to show this to your doctor so he or she knows exactly what you have taken and how much. Follow the instructions and if something doesn’t seem right, especially if you are on long-term medication for a serious disease or illness, get medical attention right away.

Hopefully, most medication mistakes, or the wrong prescription, will be caught before the patient is harmed. But if a medication error causes you serious harm, how do you hold the pharmacy, doctor, or hospital accountable?

Our Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers Can Give You Clear, Concrete Steps To Take If You Believe You May Be The Victim of Medical Malpractice

If you’ve been seriously injured by a medical error like this in a DC, MD, or VA hospital, make sure to contact Frank Kearney and Keith Donahoe so that you can start getting all of the information you need to hold the physician or pharmacy accountable. Our experienced legal team will be able to give you clear instructions on how to start getting your case investigated. Call us today at 202-393-3320 to have a confidential conversation with no obligation.