Medication Errors

Spangenberg partners, Rhonda Baker Debevec and Stuart Scott, recently handled two separate malpractice cases for clients who suffered severe bleeding complications related to a commonly prescribed anti-coagulant or “blood-thinner” called Coumadin. Read about these Coumadin Lawsuits.

Physicians have a duty to make sure that the medications they order for their patients are appropriate and are given correctly. Hospitals, through their nursing staff, also have a duty to make sure that medications are appropriate and given as ordered by the physician. In addition, pharmacists and pharmacy staff are responsible for ensuring that medications ordered do not conflict with other medications a patient may be receiving and for filling prescriptions correctly. Unfortunately, serious errors are made in prescribing and administering medications to patients.

Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber lawyers have extensive experience in representing victims of medication errors, from successfully handling prescription misfills by pharmacists to medication errors made by physicians and nurses. Recent successes include a large settlement on behalf of the family of a young boy who died as a result of an overdose of an adult headache medication that was incorrectly prescribed by his family physician, and a settlement in excess of $1,000,000 for a man's death caused by an overdose of chemotherapy drugs.

The man's death resulted from a nurse writing a physician's order in such a manner that the dose which was to be given once a day over four days was instead written to be given four times a day for four days. The hospital pharmacist did not question the amount of the dosage even though it was 16 times what the doctor ordered and well beyond any normal protocol.

For Medication Errors Legal Consultation or more information... Call 877-696-3303