Medication Errors: Chemotherapy Overdose or Mistake

Medication errors lead to millions of injuries every year in the United States. A chemotherapy mistake can result in severe, if not fatal reactions. The reality is that many of these medication errors are preventable.

If you have been seriously injured because of a chemotherapy mistake, you may be eligible to file a Kentucky medication error claim. A Louisville medical malpractice attorney can examine the facts in your case to determine if you medical negligence did cause the mistake, which would be grounds for a valid claim.

Liability in a Kentucky Medication Error Claim

When it comes to liability in a Kentucky medication error claim, some of the parties who could be held liable for a chemotherapy error include:

• doctors;
• administering nurses or other medical staff; or
• hospital or other facility where the error took place.

The most common settings for a chemotherapy error are at an outpatient clinic, long-term care clinic or hospital.

Causes of a Chemotherapy Mistake

The causes of a chemotherapy mistake can include:

• wrong packaging;
• mislabeling;
• dispensing incorrect strength of medication;
• administering too much or too little medication;
• failing to monitor a patient;
• failing to properly communicate;
• mixing up medication names (because of similarities); and
• writing prescriptions incorrectly.

Consequences of a Chemotherapy Mistake

The consequences of a chemotherapy mistake can be deadly; this is especially true if the mistake is not discovered immediately. Chemotherapy drugs are very powerful, so if there is a chemotherapy overdose, it can injure other areas of the body. Some patients have developed blood-related conditions that make them more susceptible to infections. A low platelet count could result in severe bleeding.

Keep in mind that while chemotherapy is designed to kill cancer cells, it can also act as a poison if it is given in large amounts. A chemotherapy overdose can poison the body instead of help it.

Proving Liability in a Kentucky Medication Error Claim

In order to prove liability in your Kentucky medication error claim, you will need to show the following:

• there was a failure to provide a reasonable standard of care (negligence);
• the negligence must have resulted in injury; and
• the patient's damages must be the direct cause of that negligence.

Proving negligence is not as easy as you might think. This is why you may need the help of a Louisville medical malpractice attorney, who has experience with these types of cases and can work with other medical professionals to help support your claim.

Contact a Louisville Medical Malpractice Attorney

A Louisville medical malpractice attorney at Gray and White Law can help you handle every aspect of your Kentucky medication error claim. If you've been injured in Kentucky, contact us today for a no-cost evaluation of your case 800-634-8767 or 502-210-8942.