In this guide, we will look at prescription error examples. And we will explain who could claim medical negligence compensation for a prescription error. Doctors and pharmacists owe their patients a duty of care. What are prescription errors? And how can they happen? We shall discuss examples of prescription errors and medication mistakes as we go through this guide. Also, we shall explain the medical negligence claims process for those who are eligible to seek prescription error compensation.
Prescription error medical negligence claims guide
Prescription error medical negligence claims could potentially be made against the NHS. Or they could possibly be made against a private healthcare company. However, you must first be able to demonstrate how negligence caused you harm.
If you wish to make a prescription error claim, please contact Advice.co.uk today. Our advisors can offer you free legal advice about making a medical malpractice claim. Our panel of experienced medical negligence solicitors can manage your claim and negotiate with the defendant on your behalf. Call us today on 0161 696 9685.
Select A Section
- Prescription Errors Examples
- Examples Of Prescription Errors
- Examples Of Dispensing Errors
- Prescription Error Statistics
- How Much Could You Claim For Different Prescription Errors Examples?
- Make An Enquiry About No Win No Fee Claims
Prescription Errors Examples
A prescription error can happen if a doctor makes an error when prescribing medication to a patient. Or a pharmacist may dispense the wrong medication to a patient. Moreover, a patient can be injured if they take the wrong medication. For example, a patient may experience organ failure if they take the wrong medication. Therefore the medication error would put the patient’s life at risk.
Prescription error examples can also involve a patient receiving the wrong medication dosage. The patient may experience organ damage or even death if they take a prescription drugs overdose. However, a patient’s medication may not take effect if the doctor prescribes a dosage of medication that is too low. Therefore, the patient’s medical condition may worsen over time.
Examples Of Prescription Errors
Prescript errors may happen for different reasons as we will discuss in this section. Not all medication errors will mean a patient is eligible to make a medical negligence claim. It must be first proven that the duty of care that medical professionals owe to their patients was breached.
Medical negligence that causes a patient harm may make them eligible to pursue a claim for compensation.
Let’s look at some examples of prescription errors below:
- A doctor may fail to recognise the symptoms of a patient, therefore not provide any medication at all.
- The doctor may prescribe the wrong dosage to a patient.
- A doctor can misdiagnose a patient’s medical condition. Therefore the doctor may prescribe the wrong medication to the patient.
- Or the doctor can fail to check a patient’s medical history. Consequently, the doctor can prescribe the medication the patient is allergic to, triggering an anaphylaxis reaction.
Examples Of Dispensing Errors
Pharmacists are responsible for dispensing medication to patients. Like doctors, pharmacists also have a duty of care for the patients they treat. Let’s look at some examples of prescription errors by a pharmacist:
- A pharmacist can make a dispensing error. For example, the pharmacist may give the wrong prescription to a patient.
- Pharmacists can mix up medication. Therefore one type of medication can cancel out the effects of another.
- A pharmacist mixing up medication can also cause an adverse drug interaction. Whereby the drugs combine to have a harmful effect.
- On the other hand, a pharmacist can give the wrong instructions to a patient. Therefore the patient’s medication may not have the desired effect causing the patient’s condition to worsen.
The Pharmacy (Preparation and Dispensing Errors – Registered Pharmacies) Order 2018 legislates how pharmacies should deal with dispensing errors. Please inform your pharmacist if a dispensing error has taken place.
Prescription Error Statistics
How many medication errors happen a year? According to research published by the BMJ Quality & Safety journal, over 237 million drugs errors happen a year in England. Let’s now look at the types of errors that are made;
- 54% of medication errors are administration errors
- 21% of medication errors are prescription errors
- 16% of drug errors are dispensing errors
The report states that medication errors lead to over 1,700 otherwise avoidable deaths. Moreover, these drugs errors cost the NHS over £98 million a year.
How To Make A Prescription Error Claim
To make a drug error compensation claim, you will need to provide evidence to prove that a medical professional owed you a duty of care. And that the medical profession made a medication error that harmed you through a breach of this duty. You will need to provide evidence of the prescription error. Examples of evidence include your medical records or the wrong prescription that a doctor provided.
For advice on a prescription error claim, please contact Advice.co.uk today. Our panel of solicitors has solid experience handling medical negligence claims. And what’s more, we will value your claim accurately to make sure you receive the right amount of compensation.
How long do you have to start a prescription error claim in the UK? Under the Limitation Act 1980, the medical negligence claims time limit is three years. The time limit begins on the day the prescription error caused you harm. Or the day that you connected any avoidable suffering with negligence. So please get in touch with us as soon as possible to avoid falling outside the time limit.
How Much Could You Claim For The Different Prescription Error Examples?
If you claim compensation for a prescription error, you can receive up to two heads of claim if your case is successful. Firstly, you will receive general damages compensation for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity your injuries have caused. Moreover, you may receive special damages. Your special damages compensation will reimburse you for any costs associated with your injuries. Examples of special damages you can claim include medical costs and loss of earnings reimbursement.
You may be curious to know how much compensation you can claim? You can use the table as a compensation calculator to estimate how much you can claim in general damages. We have based the compensation brackets in this table on guidelines from the Judicial College. However, special damages are not included in the compensation table, as they vary too much.
| Type Of Injury | Level Of Injury | Settlement | Notes On This Injury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minor Eye Injuries | (G) | £8,550 to £19,690 | In one or both eye minor but permanent sight issues. |
| Taste And Smell | B | £30,870 to £36,770 | There has been significant loss of the senses of smell and taste. |
| Bowel Injuries | (D) | £41,850 to £65,440 | Severe bowel injuries causing impaired bowel function requiring a temporary colostomy. |
| Bowel Injuries | (C) | In the region of £75,000 | Cases of faecal urgency and passive incontinence leading to embarrassment and distress. |
| Spleen Injuries | (B) | £4,080 to £8,110 | This person has a minimal risk of later internal infections or damage to the immune system. |
| Mental Anguish | N/A | £4,380 | Fear of life being reduced or fear of death. |
| Kidney Injuries | (C) | £28,880 to £42,110 | Cases where there is the loss of one kidney but where the other kidney has not been affected. |
| Kidney Injuries | (B) | up to £60,050 | This person has a (high) risk of suffering a future urinary tract infection or of losing natural kidney function. |
| Bladder Injuries | (C) | £60,050 to £75,010 | Serious impairment of bladder control which leads to incontinence and pain. |
| Bladder Injuries | (B) | Up to £132,040 | The loss of both bladder control and function. |
Please note that the final amount of compensation you receive may vary. Please call our helpline, and an advisor can provide you with a personalised compensation quote.
Make An Enquiry About No Win No Fee Claims
We hope that this guide to prescription error examples has been helpful. If you would like to claim compensation for injuries that a medication error caused, please get in touch with Advice.co.uk today. We can appoint our panel of knowledgeable medical negligence solicitors to work on your compensation claim.
Moreover, you can fund your solicitors by making a No Win No Fee claim. Therefore, instead of paying an initial solicitors fee, you will pay a success fee if your claim is successful. You can claim with confidence because you will only pay a success fee if you win. They will only take on No Win No Fee claims where there is ample evidence to support your case.
To begin your prescription error claim, contact us today. You can type your question into the Live Advice widget, and an advisor will get back to you shortly. Or, you can call our claims helpline on 0161 696 9685.
We are looking forward to speaking with you.
Featured Resources
Please read our resources below to learn more about making a medical negligence claim.
Claim compensation if medical negligence caused a wrongful death.
Who pays your medical expenses if you have an accident at work?
Claim compensation for a birth injury caused by medical negligence.
Taking legal action for clinical negligence – a Citizen’s Advice guide.
How to make a complaint against the NHS.
How to report a concern to the General Pharmaceutical Council (GMC).
Thank you for reading our guide to prescription error examples. Please contact us if you have any more questions about making a medical malpractice claim.