Personal Injury Lawyer

Nurses are charged with giving patients the utmost care. When a nurse accidentally gives someone the wrong medication, however, this is a mistake that can injure or even kill their patient. While taking care of patients can be a demanding job, these types of mistakes are never acceptable. If a nurse gives a patient the incorrect medication and they are hurt or even killed, a medical malpractice claim may be filed by the victim or their surviving family.

Administration of Improper Medication

The administration of improper medication happens more often than you might think. According to AARP, a study done in 2017 revealed that over 1.3 million people are injured by medication errors every year in the U.S.

Specific doses are prescribed by doctors to ensure that the medication doesn’t harm the patient. Pharmacists have a strict duty to fill those prescriptions accurately. When a nurse provides a patient with the wrong medication or even the wrong dosage, the results can be disastrous. Some of the effects of the wrong medication or dosage can include:

• Brain damage
• Debilitating pain
• Fatality
• Coma
• Damage to internal organs

These mistakes on any level can greatly injure someone who was improperly administered medication.

Nursing Malpractice Fault

When these types of errors occur, there may be one or more people at fault. Usually, the nurse who administered the drug is at fault. This is definitely the case when a nurse fails to administer the medication as it’s listed on the medical chart.

Nursing malpractice fault may also fall to other medical professionals where the error occurred. This can include:

• The pharmacist for improperly filling the prescription, or giving inadequate instructions to the administering nurse
• The doctor for either prescribing the incorrect drug or dosage or failing to supervise their nurses
• The location where the nurse works. In certain circumstances, employers will be held liable for errors made by their employees. 

Suing the Nurse for Malpractice

If you or a family member have been injured, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the nurse who is responsible. While many people may be hesitant to do so, there are many reasons why this may be an option to consider. Not only is it important to make sure that medical professionals are held accountable, but there’s also no reason you should struggle financially due to someone else’s mistake. A medical malpractice claim may help with both of those points.

If you have been injured, or someone you love has been injured as a result of the improper administration of medication, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney, right away.

Personal Injury Lawyer

Traumatic brain injuries can have a lifelong impact on those who experience them. The issues that occur with TBI are not always isolated to directly after. In fact, TBI can have side effects that last a lifetime or worsen with age. If you or a loved one suffered a TBI due to another person’s negligence, then you might be eligible to collect compensation. How do you know when it’s time to contact an attorney? Do you wait until you know the extent of the injury?

Long-Lasting Physical Symptoms

First, it is important to understand some of the more common symptoms of TBI later on in life. A patient with a traumatic brain injury may deal with headaches and migraines for the rest of his or her life. These headaches can worsen as they age, and may even lead to a disability due to headaches. Sufferers may also have chronic dizziness or lightheadedness that can last for years following the injury.

Fatigue and light sensitivity are common symptoms, along with headaches and visual difficulties. Some of the most serious side effects include seizures and epilepsy following the TBI. Alongside physical symptoms, many people suffer from emotional and cognitive disorders. Sufferers may have difficulty sleeping, struggles with depression and anxiety, and serious personality changes.

TBI and Life Disruptions

These symptoms and conditions can interfere with a person’s life. To make matters worse, it isn’t always predictable. Doctors can normally estimate what a person may experience and provide statistics to the patient so that he or she may be able to plan the progression of the TBI. That doesn’t always mean that it is going to go in that direction. Still, it has a high chance of becoming worse.

A person may lose his or her job, may have to file for disability and otherwise struggle with interpersonal relationships in his or her life and work. It does not matter if you don’t know how much worse it will get; you should contact a brain injury lawyer, like a brain injury lawyer in Memphis, TN, as soon as possible. An attorney can help you come up with a plan for seeking compensation. You cannot wait around, because symptoms can become worse.

When you work with an experienced TBI lawyer, he or she will be able to help you with the case, even if you aren’t sure of the progression. Odds are, he or she has the experience to determine the type of compensation that you can ask for. It’s better to seek a lawyer too soon than later on. Contact a TBI lawyer for a consultation as soon as possible.

Thanks to Darrell Castle and Associates, PLLC, for their insight into how traumatic brain injuries can worsen over time and the importance of hiring a TBI attorney after an accident.