Victims of medication errors: know your options

When we are suffering from an injury or illness, we are often given medication by doctors, nurses and pharmacists that we believe to be safe and effective. Unfortunately, mistakes can happen and patients can suffer the consequences of poor medication decisions.

Basically speaking, there are three different outcomes that you might expect if you are in this situation. You might be told nothing is wrong with your treatment; the hospital could acknowledge the incident and offer a settlement; or you may have to take legal action.

In the first outcome, you may have your concerns about medication errors ignored or downplayed in the hopes that you’ll forget about the whole thing. You may not be given full and accurate details that would suggest a mistake was made; you might also be told you are to blame because you took the medication wrong or failed to inform doctors of certain conditions.

Another possibility is that the hospital, doctor or pharmacy may admit that a mistake was made and offer you a settlement to resolve the case. In some situations, the hospital may even agree to provide any additional care resulting from the mistake at no cost to you.

You may also come to the conclusion that the situation is not being resolved properly and legal action is necessary. Litigating claims based on medication mistakes can be complicated and time-consuming, but ultimately, it can help victims and their families collect the compensation they deserve.

In any of these cases, it will be crucial that you discuss your options and rights with an attorney before agreeing to or accepting anything. You could find you are being manipulated or lied to or have been offered less than you deserve.

Our attorneys have experience working with people all over South Carolina who have been victims of medication errors and just want answers and accountability. We can help you assess your options and take the steps necessary to seek the desired outcome.

For information on our law firm, our background and our approach to these cases, please visit our website.