Children and Medication Errors

Doctors often prescribe children medications to treat and prevent a variety of medical conditions and illnesses. When a child takes a suitably prescribed medication as indicated, it will often improve their health. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a pharmacist filling a child’s prescription to make careless mistakes, like providing the wrong medication or the wrong dosage, which can cause significant harm to the child it was intended to help. If your child was hurt by a medication error, it is smart to speak with a lawyer to assess what compensation you may be able to recover. The experienced Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A., can address any questions you have about children and medication errors and aid you in pursuing the maximum compensation recoverable for your losses.

Medication errors can happen when a pharmacist fails to adequately obtain or assess a patient's medical history and dispenses a drug that the patient should not take because they are taking another medication or suffer from an allergy or health condition, which can cause an adverse reaction. These errors also occur when a pharmacist provides the wrong medication, potentially leaving the underlying condition untreated or causing adverse side effects. In some cases, a pharmacist may dispense the incorrect dose of the correct medication; if the dose is too low, it may be ineffective, while a too-high dose can cause unintended side effects. Additionally, a pharmacist might err by not informing a patient about potential side effects, such as drowsiness, which could result in injury.

Parents of a child injured by a pharmacist’s medication error will typically file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the responsible provider, often alleging that negligence caused the error.

The plaintiff must also demonstrate that the breach directly caused the alleged harm, meaning the damages would not have occurred without the breach of the standard of care. Finally, the plaintiff must prove that actual damages were sustained.

Those pursuing medical malpractice claims will probably have to retain an expert to establish the standard of care and explain how the provider's actions or omissions constituted a breach. Expert testimony is typically necessary to link the breach to the plaintiff’s harm and to quantify the plaintiff’s losses.

Both injured children and their parents can potentially recover damages for harm caused by medication errors. Parents might receive compensation for medical treatment costs from the injury date until the child reaches adulthood, as well as for the loss of the child's services and the emotional distress caused by the injury. Children may be awarded damages for medical treatment costs incurred after turning eighteen and for any loss of earnings resulting from the defendant's actions.

Medication is an essential part of medical care for many children, but when a pharmacist commits a medication error, it can cause grave harm. If your child sustained injuries due to a medication error, it is wise to speak with an attorney regarding what claims you may be able to pursue relating to children and medication errors. The trusted Prince George’s County medical malpractice attorneys of Foran & Foran, P.A., are adept at helping injured parties recover compensation, and we will work tirelessly to help you pursue a successful result. We have an office in Greenbelt, Maryland, and we often represent people who live in Hyattsville, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Waldorf, La Plata, Silver Spring, Rockville, and other cities in Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Charles County and all counties in the State of Maryland in medical malpractice lawsuits. You can arrange a confidential and free consultation by contacting us through our form online or by calling us at (301) 441-2022.