A Preventable, Senseless Tragedy
Parents trust that pharmacies, physicians and hospitals will take every precaution to ensure their child’s prescription is properly filled. Children and infants are the most vulnerable to serious injuries from prescription medication errors and potentially deadly consequences can result if children consume the incorrect dosage or incorrect medication.
Between 2002 and 2012 approximately 700,000 children under the age of six year old were involved in a medication error. 25 children died and another 2,000 were admitted to hospital intensive care units.
Medication errors are most common in children ages 1 year old and under. Children ages 1 and under are also more likely to suffer harm requiring medical attention.
Common, But Dangerous Child Medication Errors
About 80% of the child medication injuries involved liquid medications. That is because most child medications come in liquid form and it can be difficult to measure the dose of liquid medication. A child’s liquid medication can be prescribed in milliliters, teaspoons, tablespoons, a standard measuring cup, or a syringe.
The second most common type of pharmacy medication error involves dispensing the correct medication but the wrong dosage. Another common type of pharmacy negligence involves labeling errors that provide parents incorrect dosing instructions. Both forms of pharmacy negligence could lead a parent to dose their child with 2 tablespoons 2 times a day instead of 2 milliliters 2 times a day. A mistake like this could result in a child taking 15 times more than the prescribed amount every day.
One study found that 5% of child medication errors involve children taking doses that were 10 times higher or 10 times lower than the amount prescribed. Giving a child ten times the prescribed amount is a massive error than can easily result in an overdose death depending on the medication.
Our personal injury attorneys have a track record of representing infants, toddlers, children and the families of minors that have been injured in negligence related cases. If a pharmacy or pharmacist committed an avoidable medication error and your child was harmed we can help secure compensation that your child and family are entitled to. Click here to read about Child Day Care Medication Errors
An underdose that is 10 times less than the prescribed amount will likely provide the child no therapeutic benefit. Depriving a child of the therapeutic benefit of the medication could prevent a child from getting better and allow an illness or disease to take his or her life.
Most pharmacy dosing errors are the result of misplacing a decimal point which can turn 0.5 milliliters to 5 milliliters or adding a zero to turn 2 milliliters to 20 milliliters. These mistakes are avoidable and only occur due to negligence.
Medications commonly involved in prescription medication errors that result in harm to children include: Insulin, Acetaminophen, Warfarin, Ceftriaxone, Hydroxyzine and Hydralazine, Amoxicillin, Clonidine, Antihistamines, Muscle relaxants, Cardiovascular, Sedatives, Pain Killers and Antipsychotics and mistaking Zyrtec for Zantac.
Experienced Wrongful Death Attorneys for Child Prescription Medication Error Resulting in Loss of Life
Initial Consultations Are Always Free – No Fee Unless We Recover For You
If your child suffered a wrongful death or serious injury due to a prescription medication error because of pharmacy negligence call our attorneys today to schedule a free consultation to find out if you are entitled to compensation. We understand that no amount of compensation can ease the pain of losing a child, but the law entitles you to pursue a wrongful death claim to help cover medical, funeral and other expenses, as well as the right to seek damages to hold those responsible accountable for the actions.
Our personal injury accident lawyers have years of experience bringing medical malpractice claims on behalf of clients that were injured due to no fault of their own. It is important to keep all prescription bottles, pills, store receipts, and pharmacy paperwork following a medication injury. We will need this information to build a case against the pharmacy and get you fair compensation for your medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering.
No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call our law offices today to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at (508) 588-0422 or click the link below to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.
We offer a free, no-obligation legal consultation to help you understand your rights and the value of your case.
Prescription Medication Error Medical Malpractice and Wrongful Death Attorneys
Our knowledgeable and experienced Greater Boston accident claims and personal injury attorneys at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan are available to assist clients throughout all of Southeast Massachusetts, including but not limited to Plymouth County including Brockton, Plymouth, Bridgewater, Marshfield, Hingham, Duxbury, Wareham, Abington, Rockland, Whitman, Hanson, Holbrook, Middleborough; Norfolk County including Quincy, Stoughton, Dedham, Weymouth, Braintree, Avon, Holbrook, Randolph, Canton, Sharon, Brookline, Franklin; Bristol County including New Bedford, Fall River, Taunton, Attleboro, Mansfield, Westport, Dartmouth, Easton, Raynham, Lakeville, Norton; Cape Cod, Hyannis, Falmouth, Barnstable and the Greater Boston area including Cambridge, Somerville, Medford, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn, Revere, Dorchester, Roxbury.
