Were you harmed by a medication error in Stonecrest, GA?
At Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers, we are plaintiff-focused medication error lawyers preparing every case with experience and dedication.
If a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist in Stonecrest gave you the wrong drug or the wrong dose, the resulting harm may support a legal claim. Our Stonecrest, GA medication error lawyer can trace the prescription from the original order to the dose you received and identify where the mistake occurred.
Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers works exclusively on the plaintiff side. Our attorneys pursue compensation from the prescriber, pharmacy, hospital, or other party responsible for the error. Contact our office for a free consultation about what happened.
Medication Error Lawyer Stonecrest, GA
The FDA defines a medication error as a preventable event that may cause inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the drug is under the control of a provider, patient, or consumer. A medication error becomes malpractice when a provider fails to use reasonable care in prescribing, dispensing, or giving a drug, and the patient suffers an injury because of it.
About 11.8% of Stonecrest residents are 65 or older, and 24.2% are under 18, according to Census Bureau estimates. Patients in both age groups often need doses adjusted for age, weight, or organ function. Our medication error attorney in Stonecrest, GA reviews whether those adjustments were made.
Types of Medication Error Cases We Handle in Stonecrest
A medication error can occur at any step between the prescription and the dose. Our medication error lawyers in Stonecrest handle claims arising from each of these steps.
- Prescribing errors. A physician may order the wrong drug, an incorrect dose, or a medication that conflicts with the patient’s known allergies. We compare the order with the patient’s chart, including the recorded weight, allergies, and current medication list.
- Pharmacy dispensing errors. A pharmacy may fill a prescription with the wrong drug or strength or print instructions that do not match the prescriber’s order. The prescription, the label, and the dispensing log show where the discrepancy began.
- Hospital administration errors. Nurses may give a dose to the wrong patient, at the wrong time, or by the wrong route. The medication administration record and any barcode scanning data document each dose.
- Dangerous drug interactions. Two medications prescribed together can cause bleeding, oversedation, or organ damage when no one checks for conflicts. These claims often involve patients who receive prescriptions from more than one physician.
- Anesthesia and sedation errors. An incorrect dose of an anesthetic or sedative can slow breathing and deprive the brain of oxygen. We review the anesthesia record and the monitoring data from the procedure.
- Emergency room malpractice. An emergency department may give a drug without checking the patient’s allergies or current prescriptions. When the error occurs during emergency care, the claim may also involve emergency room malpractice, and we examine the triage notes, physician orders, and administration times.
- Birth injuries. When a medication error during labor harms a newborn, the case may also be a birth injury claim. We review the infusion records alongside the fetal monitoring strips.
- Failure to monitor drug levels. Blood thinners and certain antibiotics require regular blood tests to confirm a safe level. A provider who does not order or review those tests may miss a dangerous change.
Why Choose Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers as My Medication Error Lawyer in Stonecrest, GA?
A Plaintiff-Only Practice
Our firm represents injured people and does not defend health care providers. Daniel J. Moriarty made that change in 2018, after six years of defending physicians, nurses, and hospitals, and he has practiced law since 2012. His appellate work includes cases in the Eleventh Circuit as well as the Court of Appeals of Georgia. He is an honors Notre Dame graduate and holds a law degree from the University of Texas. Medication claims receive the same record review that our medical malpractice lawyer in Stonecrest, GA applies to every case.
Recoveries for Injured Clients
Total recoveries for our clients exceed $200 million, and two of the firm’s verdicts are among the largest malpractice verdicts in Georgia history. Selected results from the firm’s medical and dental malpractice practice include:
- $10 million dental malpractice verdict
- $8.8 million medical malpractice result
- A $7.9 million medical malpractice recovery
- $5.5 million for a medical malpractice client
Our Stonecrest medication error attorneys handle each case on a contingency fee, and clients pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation.
Understanding Medication Error Cases
What Is The Medication Error Case Timeline?
A medication error claim follows a defined sequence, and its length depends on how many parties are involved and whether the case settles. Our Stonecrest, GA medication error lawyer handles each of these stages.
- Collecting the prescription, pharmacy, and administration records
- Review by a physician or pharmacist familiar with the drug involved, or by an anesthesiologist when anesthesia errors are at issue
- Filing suit in the appropriate Georgia court before the deadline
- Exchanging evidence and taking depositions
- Negotiation, mediation, or trial
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Medication Error Cases
Liability consists of four elements: a duty of care owed to the patient, a breach of that duty in how a drug was prescribed, dispensed, or given, a causal link to the injury, and resulting damages. A patient’s own conduct can also affect the outcome. Under O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33, Georgia reduces an award by the patient’s percentage of fault and bars recovery when the patient is 50 percent or more responsible. This issue may arise if a defendant argues that the patient did not follow dosing instructions.
Recoverable damages generally include medical bills, lost wages, and compensation for pain and suffering. The most serious cases involve permanent harm, such as a brain injury after an anesthesia overdose, and the damages reflect the cost of lifelong care. Medication errors during labor can also cause lasting harm to a newborn. Errors involving Pitocin, a drug used to strengthen contractions, are among the issues we review in those cases.
What Should You Bring to Your Medication Error Consultation?
Medication containers and labels are often the most direct evidence in these cases. Please keep them and bring them to the meeting.
- The medication bottles, packaging, and pharmacy labels
- The printed information sheet that came with the prescription
- A list of every medication you were taking at the time
- Hospital or pharmacy records you have already received
Our medication error lawyer in Stonecrest, GA will compare what was prescribed with what was dispensed or given and tell you whether the difference supports a claim.
What Are Important Aspects of a Medication Error Case?
Medication claims often involve more than one provider and a detailed paper trail. Our medication error attorneys in Stonecrest focus on the following issues.
- Several parties may share responsibility for a medication error, including the prescribing physician, the pharmacy, and the hospital.
- A known side effect must be distinguished from a preventable mistake. CDC medication safety data shows that adverse drug events cause more than 1.5 million emergency department visits each year. Some of that harm reflects the known dangers of prescription drugs, and liability depends on proof that a provider’s error caused the injury.
- Georgia’s prescription drug monitoring program tracks the prescribing and dispensing of controlled substances. Those records can show duplicate or excessive prescriptions.
- Patients may report a pharmacy concern to the Georgia Board of Pharmacy. That process does not provide compensation.
- O.C.G.A. § 9-3-71 sets a two-year limit, measured from the date of the injury or death, for most medication error lawsuits. The same statute generally bars claims filed more than five years after the error.
Reach Out to Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers to Schedule a Consultation
Contact us to schedule a time to talk with our Stonecrest medication error attorney about your prescription or treatment. Moriarty Medical Malpractice Lawyers offers free consultations for patients and families throughout Stonecrest and DeKalb County. We will review your records and medication labels and explain your options.