Healthcare professionals must take the appropriate steps to ensure each patient receives the correct type of drug and dosage suitable for their medical condition.
Establishing a Prescription Drug Error Claim Based on Negligence
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 48.9 percent of patients have used at least one prescription drug in the past 30 days. The CDC also reports that 76.2 percent of patients visiting a physician’s office leave with prescription medication or drug therapy.
Prescription drugs are often assumed to provide an intended effect if prescribed by a medical professional. However, these normally helpful drugs can be harmful in certain situations and even put an individual’s well-being at risk. You can speak with a Lafayette personal injury lawyer to help you pursue compensation.
When a physician or other healthcare professional acts negligently and a patient is injured because of an erroneous prescription, they may need to enlist the assistance of a Lafayette prescription drug errors lawyer to establish liability and effectively pursue their case.
When it comes to medical malpractice or negligence involving prescription drugs, Louisiana Revised Statutes §9:2794 states the victim must prove by presenting a preponderance of evidence that the defendant health care provider did indeed commit malpractice. Basing such a claim on negligence necessitates proving at least one of a variety of factors that exceed simple miscommunication. Some examples include but are not limited to:
- Providing the patient with the wrong dosage
- Failing to warn the patient of all risks associated with the medication
- Mixing dangerous prescription drugs
- Providing the patient with medication that is not appropriate for their condition
- Failing to communicate with providers and/or the patient
- Failing to assess a patient’s medical history
