Hospitals in York must safeguard against medication mistakes, from prescribing to administration. When systems fail or oversight lapses, you can suffer serious harm. Holding the negligent hospital accountable may be the only way for you to recover both financially, physically, and mentally.
Suppose you believe you’ve suffered from a medication mistake. In that case, our malpractice lawyers in York, PA, can help you determine how the error occurred and secure maximum compensation for your injury-related expenses.
How Medication Errors Occur in York Hospitals
A medication error is more than a minor mix-up. It’s any preventable event that leads to inappropriate medication use and, consequently, patient harm. In a hospital, errors can occur at multiple stages, including prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administering, and monitoring. However, almost half of all medication errors happen during the prescribing or ordering stage. Common causes typically include:
- Look-alike or sound-alike drugs are being confused in busy environments
- Dosage mistakes, usually from misplaced decimals or misread handwriting
- Failure to check allergies or drug interactions before administration
- Wrong delivery method, such as giving an IV drug orally
Unfortunately, in an emergency room or intensive care unit, a single dose error can be fatal in minutes.
Common Medication Mistakes in York Hospitals
York Hospital, WellSpan facilities, and other medical centers follow strict protocols. However, mistakes still happen, especially when staffing shortages, communication breakdowns, or rushed care are significant factors. Some examples of serious medication mistakes are:
- Anticoagulant overdoses leading to uncontrolled bleeding
- Insulin errors causing severe hypoglycemia or seizures
- Antibiotic overdosing allowed infections to spread
- Chemotherapy dosage mistakes resulting in organ failure
The damage from a medication error can range from temporary illness to permanent disability. Patients may suffer strokes, kidney failure, cardiac arrest, or severe allergic reactions. In the worst cases, families are left grieving a preventable loss. The effects extend beyond health. Patients often face longer hospital stays, increased medical bills, lost income, and ongoing rehabilitation costs. In addition, emotional trauma, from loss of trust to the anxiety of future treatments, can be just as overwhelming as the physical harm.
Holding Hospitals Liable for Prescription Drug Errors
Hospitals are legally responsible when medication errors result from:
- Staff acting within the scope of their role, such as ordering doctors, dispensing pharmacists, or administering nurses
- Unsafe policies, training deficiencies, or poor system design at the hospital level
Emerging legal standards, such as corporate negligence, validate that hospitals, not just individuals, bear responsibility when their systems are flawed. To win your case, you must have solid proof that the hospital’s safety protocols were inadequate or poorly enforced. That’s where help from a seasoned York prescription drug error lawyer comes in.
Your attorney will start by securing medication logs, pharmacy records, electronic order data, incident reports from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, and other relevant hospital documentation. They’ll consult pharmacology experts to explain how the error occurred and why it should have been prevented. Witness statements from nurses, pharmacists, or even other patients can likewise reveal systemic issues the hospital tries to keep quiet.
Our Prescription Malpractice Lawyers Can Help You
If you or a loved one suffered from a medication error, reach out to Marzella & Associates to discuss your situation. Get a free case review with our prescription drug error attorneys in York, PA. Complete a contact form online or call 717-876-8681.