Receiving the wrong medication for an illness can cause a serious adverse reaction. Doctors, pharmacists, and medical professionals have a duty of care when prescribing medication to their patients. If they prescribe you the wrong dosage or there is a pharmacy error leading to the wrong medication being given, you could suffer a drug allergy.
The consequences of a drug allergy can be severe, and you could suffer serious injury or even wrongful death. Whether you received the wrong dosage or wrong medication, or you were not asked about your medical history prior to receiving medication, you could recover compensation. An experienced medication error attorney can help you file a personal injury claim to cover the costs of your injuries caused by prescription errors.
At The Law Place, we have been helping citizens in Orlando and throughout Florida with personal injury claims for many years. Our lawyers have a combined experience of over 75 years, and we have a deep understanding of medical laws and regulations in Orlando. Suffering an allergic reaction to medication is serious, and you could suffer serious injuries, trauma, and life-threatening damage.
Our law firm can help you by advising you on your legal rights, assessing whether there is a medical malpractice case, gathering evidence to support your claim, and taking strong legal action on your behalf. We offer a free consultation for you to speak about your case with no strings attached.
Call our law firm today at (941)-444-4444 to schedule a free consultation.
What Are Allergic Reactions to Medication?
A medication error, such as a wrong dosage, incorrect prescription, or failure to check a patient’s medical background, could lead to an allergic reaction to the medication. Adverse reactions to drugs can cause serious pain and injury. Depending on the severity of the reaction, you could face life-threatening injuries that should be dealt with immediately.
Drug Allergy Symptoms
Some symptoms of a drug allergy include:
- Skin rash, including hives and itching.
- Diarrhea.
- Nasal congestion.
- Change in blood pressure.
- Difficulties breathing.
- Dizziness.
- Anaphylactic shock, which can lead to death.
- Drug-induced anemia.
- Inflammation in the kidneys.
- Serum sickness.
For some patients, the symptoms of an allergic reaction to medication begin instantly. However, other patients may develop these symptoms a few days or even more than a week after taking their medication. If you experience any of the above symptoms or believe you are suffering from adverse reactions to drugs, seek medical help immediately.
Medication Errors in Orlando, Florida
Enduring an allergic reaction to medication in Orlando could happen in several ways. In most cases, an allergic reaction results from a medication error, which could be the fault of the doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professionals involved in administering your care.
Some common medication errors that could lead to the wrong medication being given include:
- The doctor gave the wrong medication.
- Wrong schedule or confusing instructions for taking the medication.
- The doctor did not give the proper dosage or the right type of medication.
- A nurse or doctor gave medication to the wrong patient in the emergency room.
- Bad handwriting on the prescription cert.
- The patient was not made aware of the harmful side effects of the medication.
- The manufacturer mislabeled a bottle of medication.
- Medication errors lead to two names of medicines being confused.
- Pharmacy errors, such as mixing up prescriptions.
Regardless of how you suffered an allergic reaction to the medication, you could recover compensation for your injuries. The medication error attorneys from The Law Place can assess whether you have a valid medical negligence claim and help file a lawsuit to recover damages on your behalf, including medical bills and related costs.
Medical Malpractice in Orlando
When you visit a doctor, pharmacist, or any other medical professional, you put your safety and well-being in their hands. Patients in Orlando trust their health professionals to make informed and correct decisions. When you suffer an allergic reaction because of pharmacy errors, prescription errors, or a medication error, you reserve the right to receive compensation for the harm you have suffered.
Medical malpractice laws in Orlando provide that all health professionals must abide by the Medical Standard of Care. This standard of care is based on the behavior of other doctors or health professionals in the same field.
When determining whether your doctor or pharmacist breached their duty of care to you, the court will look at what a reasonably competent professional with the same level of experience and training would have done under the same circumstances.
If the court determines that a reasonable doctor or pharmacist with the same level of experience would have behaved differently, and would have checked your medical records before prescribing you medication, for example, you can recover compensation. If the doctor, pharmacist, or drug manufacturer took all reasonable steps to protect your health and ensure your safety, and you suffered an allergic reaction because of adverse events, your claim will be unsuccessful.
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Who Is Liable for Medication Errors in Orlando?
Determining who is liable for your medication error in an allergic reaction case can be quite difficult. Responsibility depends entirely on the circumstances of your case and the awareness of the parties involved.
However, most medical malpractice cases involving allergic reactions determine that either the doctor, pharmacist, or pharmaceutical company was the negligent party.
Doctors
Doctors should know the medical history of their patients and prescribe medication that they know works for their patients and that they will not suffer a reaction to. Doctors and physicians should check the patient’s medical history before prescribing medication to them.
If they do not check their medical history, ask about allergies, or prescribe medication with knowledge of their patients’ allergies, this could be medical malpractice. If they make prescription errors, such as prescribing the wrong medication, or the wrong dosage, or do not make patients aware of the possible side effects, they could be found guilty of medical negligence.
Pharmaceutical Companies
Drug manufacturing companies may be liable for negligence if the medications they manufacture and produce are faulty or if they incorrectly store their medicine. Sometimes, incorrect storage of medication can lead to contamination, causing allergic reactions in patients who take the drugs.
If the pharmaceutical company does not take adequate care to ensure that its products are safe for use, it could be held liable for any injuries caused to patients.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists have a duty to make you aware of the potential side effects of drugs and ensure that the medications you receive are the same as you were prescribed. If they give you a similar medicine to the one that is on your prescription, because they are out of stock or because it is cheaper, they must ensure that you are not allergic to the substitute medication.
They must also ensure that they do not give a prescription to the wrong patient and that they give you the correct dosage. A serious pharmacy error that causes an allergic reaction can cause the pharmacist to be held accountable for medical negligence.
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Compensation Available in Medical Malpractice Cases, Orlando
Recovering compensation for an allergic reaction to medication requires that you file a personal injury or medical malpractice lawsuit against the negligent party. In this lawsuit, you must demonstrate that; the party owed you a duty of care, breached this duty through negligence or recklessness, you suffered an injury, and the breached duty directly caused your injuries.
An experienced Orlando injury lawyer can help you prove your negligence claim using evidence, doctors’ reports, proof of the medical error, and their knowledge of medical negligence laws. If you are successful in your claim, you may be entitled to the following financial compensation:
Medical Expenses
This includes hospital bills, medication for the allergic reaction, and any future care required because of the medication error.
Lost Wages
If you could not work because of the allergic reaction, you can recover the wages you lost during this time and future potential earnings.
Non-Economic Damages
If you suffered emotional distress because of the incident, such as mental anguish, PTSD, anxiety, or loss of enjoyment in life, you can make a claim for pain and suffering damages.
From the initial call to updates on your case status, we are here to get you answers.
Contact an Orlando Allergic Reaction to Medication Lawyer at The Law Place!
A medication error can lead to serious adverse reactions in some patients. Doctors and health professionals must ensure that a prescription they give to a patient will not cause them to suffer further harm. An allergic reaction to medication can cause serious injury and health complications, and sometimes, even death.
If you suffered an allergic reaction to medication in Orlando because of the negligence of a doctor, pharmacist, physician, or any other party, you may be entitled to compensation. The medication error attorneys at The Law Place have been helping clients with medical malpractice and personal injury claims for over 75 years.
We understand how stressful it is to deal with a legal claim while going through health difficulties. Our law firm helps clients get back on their feet and focus on their recovery while we handle legal matters on your behalf. We have won multiple awards and recognitions for our dedication to clients and we always provide the highest standard of legal care.
Call our Orlando law office today to schedule a free consultation at (941)-444-4444.