Although a doctor may be found liable for injuries caused by an illegible prescription, you also may be entitled to seek legal action against a pharmacist who doesn’t verify the correct medication. If a pharmacist guesses or assumes which drug the doctor is prescribing, he or she may potentially be found liable as well.
It would be expected that if pharmacists are unable to read a doctor’s handwriting they would verify the correct drug and dosage. However, this may be difficult to prove, so seeking help from a Louisville medication error lawyer is the best thing you can do.
Guidelines for Patients That May Prevent a Medication Error
There are some guidelines that patients should use in order to help prevent a medication error. The first is to try to read the prescription before leaving the doctor’s office.
If you are not able to read it, there is a strong chance that the pharmacist won’t be able to, either. You have the right to ask the doctor to rewrite the prescription so that it is readable.
Additionally, you should also ask the doctor to tell you the name of the drug and the dosage that is being prescribed verbally. This way, you can verify that the prescription is written correctly.
When you go to pick up your prescription, ask the pharmacist to tell you the name of the drug, the dosage and instructions on how to take it verbally. But even before walking away, you should also look at the name of the drug on the bottle to make sure it matches.
These guidelines may seem time-consuming but are worth it if you want to prevent an illegible prescription from causing injuries. If you have been a victim, however, you should consult with a Louisville medication error lawyer as soon as possible to learn what legal options may be available.
Contacting a Louisville Medication Error Lawyer
A Louisville medication error lawyer at Gray and White can help you handle every aspect of your prescription error claim. If you’ve become the victim of a medication error in Kentucky, contact us today for a free evaluation of your case – 1-888-450-4456 or 1-502-210-8942.