When seeking medical treatment, we trust healthcare professionals to provide us with the proper medications to improve our health. However, mistakes can happen, and a prescription error can have devastating consequences.
Medication malpractice can aggravate pre-existing conditions or even introduce new health conditions. If you have suffered due to a prescription error, you may be entitled to compensation for medical negligence. Reach out to the team at Friends Legal on 0333 3580 583 to discuss the details of your case.
Making Sense of Prescription Errors
Prescription errors occur when healthcare professionals make mistakes in prescribing or dispensing medication. These errors can take various forms, including:
- Wrong medication: You may have been prescribed the wrong medication, or the pharmacist may have dispensed the incorrect drug.
- Incorrect dosage: Medical professionals may prescribe the wrong medication dosage, leading to potential harm or ineffectiveness.
- Medication interactions: If multiple medications are prescribed without considering potential interactions, it can lead to adverse effects.
- Failure to review medication: Healthcare professionals should regularly review long-term prescriptions to ensure their continued appropriateness and to prevent dependency or other health issues.
- Unexpected side effects: Some individuals may experience severe side effects or injuries in response to prescribed medications.
An estimated 237 million prescription errors happen every year in the NHS, of which 21% occur at the prescribing stage and 38% in primary care.
We understand the impact that a prescription error can have on your life. Our team of experienced clinical negligence lawyers are here to provide you with the support and guidance you need to pursue a claim.
Making a successful prescription error claim hinges on establishing negligence and its direct impact on you. Whether due to a doctor’s oversight, a pharmacist’s error, or a flaw in computer systems, our medical negligence team is on hand to help you secure compensation.
How to Establish Prescription Negligence
When you’re faced with the unsettling aftermath of medication errors, knowing how to establish negligence is crucial. Mistakes can happen, so not all prescription errors will validate a medical negligence claim.
To file a prescription negligence claim, the prescription error must have caused you harm. In the case of a medication error, it may be that it worsened your existing condition or caused an additional condition to arise.
The best way to establish negligence is by gathering as much evidence as possible and obtaining expert legal advice. Evidence may include:
- Medical records showing the impact on your health
- Documentation of the initial condition
- The prescription error
- Subsequent reactions
- Medical expert statements
How to Seek Compensation for a Prescription Error
Compensation aims to provide financial support for the physical, emotional, and financial consequences you experienced as a result of the prescribing error. The amount of compensation you receive will depend on several factors, including the severity of the injury, impact on life, financial losses, and future needs.
Our clinical negligence solicitors can help assess the merits of your case and will work tirelessly to get you the compensation you deserve.
No Win, No Fee Prescription Error Lawyers
At Friends Legal, our prescription error claims are underpinned by a ‘No Win, No Fee’ agreement so that you can move forward with your claim without any financial risk.
Time Limit for Medication Errors
In Scotland, the general time limit for medical negligence claims, including prescription error claims, is three years from the date of knowledge.
The law acknowledges that the date of knowledge might differ from the ‘incident date’ (for example, the date you received the prescription). The date of knowledge is when you sense or should reasonably have recognised that the harm you’ve suffered could be associated with the prescription mistake.
Exceptions to this time limit may apply in certain circumstances, such as cases involving children or individuals with limited mental capacity.
If a loved one has tragically died due to a prescription error, family members can claim within three years of the date of death.
Prescription Negligence Claims — Get Specialist Legal Advice Today
If you’ve experienced worsening of your existing condition or developed a new condition due to a prescription error, you could have grounds for a claim. Going through the claims process can feel scary but, with Friends Legal, you’re not alone.
Our empathetic legal experts are ready to stand by your side and help you seek justice. Contact us today on 0333 3580 583 or complete the online enquiry form for a free consultation.
