This guide will look at examples of medication errors and the effects on patients that they could have. The impact of a medication error can vary in severity. However, you could claim compensation for the way in which it has affected your life should your case meet the relevant requirements. We will explore this in more detail throughout our guide.
Additionally, this guide aims to explain the duty of care medical professionals owe their patients and how a failure to uphold this duty could lead to medication errors.
Furthermore, we will discuss the steps you can take after sustaining harm in a medical setting, including the evidence you can gather to support your potential claim and the benefits of seeking legal advice.
For more information, you can get in touch with our team of advisors. To reach them, you can:
- Call at 0800 408 7827
- Contact us through our website
- Message via the live chat feature below.
Choose A Section
- Can I Claim For Medication Errors And The Effects They Have On Patients?
- Medication Errors – How Can They Occur?
- Who Is Responsible For Medical Errors? – The Importance of Duty of Care
- What Evidence Can Be Used In A Medical Negligence Case?
- How Much Is Medical Negligence Worth? – Potential Compensation Amounts
- No Win No Fee Solicitors – What Are The Advantages?
- Learn More About Medication Errors And The Effects They Have on Patients
Can I Claim For Medication Errors And The Effects They Have on Patients?
Medication errors can occur in different ways. The NHS Resolution states that these incidents can occur during any part of the process of administering, preparing, prescribing, dispensing, monitoring or offering advice to patients about medication.
The effects on patients that medication errors can have will vary from case to case. This will depend on the medication that you received, the dosage and if you were taking any other medication at the time.
However, it’s not always possible to claim for these errors. Instead, you would need to prove that your claim meets the relevant criteria. We will provide further guidance on how to prove a medication error throughout our guide.
Read on to learn more about medication errors and the effects they have on patients. Alternatively, you can get in touch using the number above.
Medication Errors – How Can They Occur?
There are various ways in which medication errors could occur. For example, a doctor makes an error when typing out your prescription resulting in you taking the wrong medicine.
Additionally, there are several healthcare settings in which they could occur. For example:
- Medication errors in a hospital: A hospital doctor administers the wrong dosage of medication. As a result, a patient experiences symptoms of an overdose.
- Medication errors in a pharmacy: A pharmacist hands out the wrong prescription leading someone to take medication that was not suitable for them.
Medication errors and the effects they have on patients can vary depending on the specific situation. However, if you are eligible to claim, the impact the error has had on you will be taken into consideration when valuing the compensation you’re awarded.
Who Is Responsible For Medical Errors? – The Importance Of Duty of Care
Medical professionals owe a duty of care to their patients. A part of this is ensuring they provide the correct standard of care. If they fail to do so and you are caused avoidable harm as a result, this is known as medical negligence. If you can demonstrate that medical negligence occurred, you could be eligible to seek compensation.
The ways in which a medical professional is expected to uphold their duty of care may vary depending on the specific area of medicine that they practice. For example, the General Medical Council (GMC) outlines good medical practice for doctors to follow whilst the Royal College Of Nursing sets out the duty of care that nurses owe their patients.
The Bolam test may be carried out as part of the claims process to determine whether you received the correct standard of care. This involves a panel of relevantly trained medical professionals assessing your case. The findings from their assessment can be used to support your claim.
To learn more about the importance of duty of care in medical negligence claims, get in touch using the number above. Alternatively, continue reading about medication errors and the effects on patients that can be claimed for.
What Evidence Can Be Used In A Medical Negligence Case?
There are several types of evidence you could gather in order to support your potential claim. For example:
- Prescriptions
- A doctor report
- A hospital report
Additionally, you may be asked to attend an appointment with an independent medical professional. They can produce a report detailing the extent and nature of the harm you experienced.
It’s also important to be aware of the time limit in place for starting a claim. As per the Limitation Act 1980, you generally have three years from the date of the incident or the date you connected the incident with medical negligence.
If you are unsure of the steps you could take following a medication error, get in touch with our advisors. They can offer free legal advice regarding your potential claim.
How Much Is Medical Negligence Worth? – Potential Compensation Amounts
Medical negligence compensation payouts can consist of general and special damages. General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you experienced due to the incident of medical negligence.
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can be used by medical negligence solicitors to help them value the general damages portion of your payout.
We have used these figures in the table below. However, they are only intended as a guide because your actual settlement will vary depending on your specific claim.
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kidney Injury (a) | £169,400 - £210,400 | Both kidneys sustain damage that is serious and permanent. Cases in this bracket also include where both kidneys are lost. |
| Kidney Injury (b) | Up to £63,980 | There is a significant risk of future urinary tract infection or other complete loss of natural kidney function. |
| Bowel Injury (a) | Up to £184,200 | Cases that involve double incontinence alongside other medical complications. |
| Bowel Injury (b) | Up to £150,110 | There is a total loss of natural function and the person will depend on a colostomy. |
| Injuries Affecting Sight (c) (i) | £95,990 - £179,770 | Cases involving the complete loss of sight in one eye with reduced vision in the other. There is also serious risk of further deterioration in the remaining eye. |
| Female Reproductive System (c) | £56,080 - £71,350 | Cases of infertility in a young person without children. There are no aggravating features and no sexual dysfunction. |
| Male Reproductive System (d) | £56,080 - £71,350 | There is a case of sterility that is uncomplicated. There is no impotence or other aggravating features. |
| Bladder (c) | £23,410 - £31,310 | Control is seriously impaired and there is some pain and incontinence. |
| Deafness/ Tinnitus (d) (ii) | £14,900 - £29,710 | Cases of both tinnitus and noise-induced hearing loss of a moderate nature. This bracket also includes cases of tinnitus of a moderate to severe nature alone or noise-induced hearing loss alone. |
| Spleen Injury (a) | £20,800 - £26,290 | The spleen is completely lost. The risk of internal infection and other disorders is ongoing as a result of a damaged immune system. |
What Other Compensation Could I Receive From Medication Errors In The UK?
Special damages reimburse you for any financial losses caused as a result of the incident of medical negligence. Examples of the losses you could experience can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medication expenses
- Travel costs
You can prove financial losses through evidence such as receipts and bank statements, so it is important to keep any documents during the course of your claim.
To learn more about medication errors and the effects on patients that could be claimed for, get in touch using the number above.
No Win No Fee Solicitors – What Are The Advantages?
You may find it beneficial hiring a solicitor who has experience handling claims in medical negligence. If you’re concerned about the cost of accessing their services, you may benefit from working with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. They can offer a type of No Win No Fee service known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under a CFA, there is no payment required for your solicitors services at the end of an unsuccessful claim. There is a payment required upon the completion of a successful claim. This is known as a success fee and is deducted from your compensation.
To find out whether you could work with a solicitor from our panel on this basis, get in touch on the number above.
Medication Errors And The Effects On Patients – Contact Us To See If You Can Claim
We hope this guide on medication errors, the effects they have on patients and when you could claim compensation has helped. However, if you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with an advisor from our team. To reach them, you can:
- Call at 0800 408 7827
- Contact us through our website
- Message via the live chat feature below.
Learn More About Medication Errors And The Effects They Have on Patients
See below for more useful resources.
- GMC – Ethical Guidance For Doctors
- NHS Resolution – Annual Report Statistics
- GOV – NHS Constitution For England
More of our guides can be found here.
- How to report medication errors
- How to make a medical negligence claim
- What compensation could I claim after having unnecessary medical treatment?
Thank you for reading about medication errors and the effects on patients. For more information on putting forward a medical negligence claim, call our advisors today.
Guide by AA
Editor NM