Houston Medication Error Lawyer

Common Causes of Medication Errors

Houston is home to more than 80 hospitals and over 1500 pharmacies—so medication errors aren't isolated events. They're a growing public health issue that affects patients across the city and surrounding areas.

Common causes of medication-related injuries include:

• Improper dosage calculations;
• Prescribing medications that interact harmfully with others;
• Similar drug names or packaging (known as "look-alike, sound-alike" errors);
• Entering incorrect information in digital patient charts or EHR systems;
• Administering medications via the wrong route (e.g., IV instead of oral);
• Failure to adjust medication type/dose for weight, age, or renal function;
• Ignoring known allergies or documented contraindications; and
• Inadequate patient counseling about side effects or usage.

In some emergency rooms or pharmacies in the Houston Medical Center or high-traffic areas like Westheimer or Sharpstown, these oversights happen when staff are overworked, undertrained, or pressured to meet volume quotas.

Our team investigates how and why the mistake occurred and whether any protocols were skipped, violated, or ignored. We use that evidence to hold healthcare providers, supervisors, and corporations accountable.

How Can a Houston Pharmacy Errors Lawyer Help Me Obtain Compensation? 

The damage caused by a medication or pharmacy error can be extensive and long-term. Such injuries may require additional medical attention and can result in a person missing work temporarily or indefinitely. 

A Houston medication errors lawyer can review your case and assist with compensation, which can cover:

• Medical bills: This includes reimbursement for medical expenses connected with the medication error.
• Lost wages or income: A financial award from a Houston medication error lawsuit can help reimburse the patient for lost income during their recovery period.
• Loss of future income: Compensation can cover future income losses in situations where the person is unable to work due to their injury.
• Pain and suffering: Medication injury victims can experience intense pain and mental anguish in connection with the negligence. 
• Disability: Some medication error injuries can cause long-term disability and lifestyle changes, which must be taken into account.
• Wrongful death: If the medication error results in the loss of life, compensation can cover wrongful death expenses, such as funeral costs and other losses.

The amount of compensation available in any medication error lawsuit will vary from case to case. It will depend on factors such as the severity of the injuries and the duration of hospitalization for recovery. Some losses, such as pain and suffering, can be difficult to calculate. 

For these reasons, it's essential to hire a lawyer with experience in securing favorable settlements for injury victims. A study by Martindale-Nolo found that over 90% of people who hired a lawyer received a settlement or award. In contrast, only about 50% of those who handled their cases independently were able to recover compensation.

A qualified Houston medication errors attorney can help calculate your losses and argue for the maximum amount of compensation you are owed under medical malpractice laws. 

What Types of Issues Are Involved in a Houston Medication Error Lawsuit?

Medication errors can take various forms and occur at different stages of the prescription and administration process. Some common examples of medication errors include: 

• Wrong medication or dose: Prescribing or administering the wrong type of medication, or the incorrect amount to the patient
• Omission errors: Failing to give the patient their required medication at the proper time (missing a scheduled dose)
• Incorrect method of administration: Administering a medicine through the wrong route or channel (such as giving medicine orally rather than intravenously)
• Interactions and contraindications: Combining medicines in a way that produces a harmful reaction
• Calculation errors: Errors related to medicine calculations, such as when the effects will wear off, or how the medicine might affect a person's readings (such as blood pressure)
• Product confusion: Making an error due to confusing medications that have similar names, descriptions, or appearances
• Diagnosis issues: There may be some overlap between medical misdiagnosis and resulting medication errors (for instance, prescribing the wrong medicine based on a wrong diagnosis)
• Dangerous medicines: Negligence may be found if the medical profession prescribes drugs that are known to be dangerous due to a defect or have been recalled

Other common medication errors include mismanagement of side effects, improper instructions on how to take a medication, and reliance on outdated or incorrect information regarding a particular medication. 

Identifying the exact cause and source of a medication error can be challenging. It is best approached with the guidance and advice of a Houston medication error attorney.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Medication Errors Lawsuit?

Houston's extensive medical network comprises major hospital systems, including Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, and MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as hundreds of pharmacies and medical facilities. When medication errors occur within this complex healthcare system, multiple parties may bear responsibility for patient injuries.

• Physicians and Specialists: Doctors who prescribe inappropriate medications, incorrect dosages, or fail to consider drug interactions can be held liable. This includes primary care physicians, anesthesiologists, specialists, and emergency room doctors throughout Houston's medical facilities.

• Pharmacists and Pharmacy Staff: Licensed pharmacists have a duty to verify prescriptions, check for potential drug interactions, and provide accurate and proper medication counseling. Pharmacy technicians and staff members can also be held responsible for dispensing errors.

• Nurses and Hospital Staff: Registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, and other healthcare professionals who administer medications must follow established protocols. Errors in medication administration, dosage calculation, or patient monitoring can prove liability.

• Hospital Systems: Major Houston hospital networks can be held liable for systemic failures, inadequate staffing, poor training programs, or policies that contribute to medication errors.

• Long-term Care Facilities: Nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout Harris County have specific obligations to manage residents' medications properly and can face liability for errors in medication management.

• Pharmaceutical Companies: In cases involving defective medications, inadequate warnings, or manufacturing defects, pharmaceutical companies may share liability for resulting injuries.

• Healthcare Technology Companies: Electronic health record systems and medication dispensing technology providers may be held responsible when system failures contribute to medication errors.

Houston's medical malpractice laws allow victims to pursue compensation from all parties whose negligence contributed to their injuries. A Houston medication error lawyer can identify all potentially liable parties and ensure that victims receive maximum compensation for their losses.

How to Report Medication Errors

Patients who experience medication errors in Houston have multiple options for reporting these incidents and protecting their rights. Proper reporting can help prevent similar mistakes from affecting other patients while preserving important evidence for potential legal claims.

• Notify Healthcare Providers: Immediately inform your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about any suspected medication error. Document their response and any corrective actions taken.

• Seek Medical Attention: Get immediate medical evaluation for any adverse reactions or symptoms that may be related to a medication error. This creates crucial medical documentation.

• Document Everything: Keep detailed records of all medications prescribed, dispensed, and administered. Take photographs of medication bottles, labels, and any physical evidence of the error.

• Contact Hospital Administration: Report serious medication errors to patient relations departments at Houston hospitals. Major facilities, such as Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann, have established reporting systems.

Official Reporting Channels:

• Texas State Board of Pharmacy: File complaints against pharmacists or pharmacy facilities through the Texas State Board of Pharmacy's online complaint system or by calling (512) 305-8000.

• Texas Medical Board: Report physician-related medication errors to the Texas Medical Board, which investigates complaints against licensed physicians practicing in Houston and throughout Texas.

• Texas Health and Human Services: Report medication errors at nursing homes or long-term care facilities to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's regulatory division.

• FDA MedWatch Program: Report serious medication errors to the FDA's MedWatch program, particularly when defective medications or labeling issues are involved.

• The Joint Commission: File reports about hospital medication errors with The Joint Commission, which accredits many Houston hospitals and investigates patient safety concerns.

Contact a Houston Medication Error Attorney for Assistance

Malpractice involving a medication or pharmacy error is no trivial matter. The results of such mistakes can be life-altering and can even put the patient's life at risk. Those who have sustained an injury from a medication error may be entitled to significant compensation for their losses.

However, obtaining such compensation can be difficult without the guidance and representation of a medication error lawyer. Hiring a Houston medication error attorney may be the first step toward obtaining the remedy you need. 

"I've worked with families who were told that 'complications happen.' But when a child is given the wrong dose, or a patient ends up in the ICU because of a medication mistake, they deserve justice. We help them get it."

— Paul Skrabanek | Partner at Pierce Skrabanek

Proudly Representing Houston Residents for Over 30 Years