Prescription Drug Injuries in New Hampshire

In New Hampshire, when a person is caused unnecessary pain and suffering or illness because of a medication error, they may be able to hold the doctor, hospital or pharmacy responsible for their injuries. According to the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention, a prescription medication error is described "any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer”. In 1992 the FDA received almost 30,000 reports of medication errors. This number only includes voluntary reports meaning that the actual number of medication errors was likely much higher. There are a lot of ways that a person can be injured by prescription medication. Some common medication related injuries occur because of the following:

• The doctor prescribed the wrong amount of dosage or the wrong medication
• The medication prescribed had a dangerous interaction with another drug the doctor was aware that the patient was taking The doctor prescribed a medication to which the patient had a known allergies to
• The pharmacy filled a prescription with the wrong medication or wrong dosage
• A nurse or hospital administered an incorrect drug or the wrong dosage of a drug

Any of these errors can lead to serious complications or even death to the patient.

Prescription Drug Medical Malpractice

According to a 1999 report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths result each year from medical errors in hospitals. About 7,000 of those deaths are related to medication errors. When a patient is administered the wrong type of drug, they can experience serious and even fatal side effects. For example, a patient who is prescribed 20 units of insulin and received 200 units of insulin by accident may receive a fatal dose without even knowing what happened until it is too late.

Patients trust hospital staff and doctors to provide them with accurate dosage of correct medication. When a doctor fails to assess a patient's needs, a pharmacy fails to fill a prescription correctly or a hospital administers the wrong medication, this can be considered negligence. Under medical malpractice laws, a hospital, doctor or pharmacy that is ruled negligent can be held liable for compensating the injured party.

New Hampshire Prescription Drug Injury Lawyer

If you or a loved one have been seriously affected by a prescription medication error in New Hampshire, call our office right away. Medical malpractice attorneys Ryan Russman and Amy Connolly are here to help you fight for the compensation that you deserve. When a person is seriously injured due to the negligence of another party, they are entitled to be compensated for medical expenses related to the injury, lost wages from the inability to work and even additionally for the pain and suffering that they underwent. If you have been a victim of a prescription drug error, stand up for your rights and call a personal injury attorney right now.