Fatalities Caused by Pharmacy Errors

Wrongful Death Attorneys Compassionately Assisting Boston Families

Many of us rely on medications for a variety of reasons. If you have conditions that are managed by multiple medications, you likely know how important it is to ensure that you receive the appropriate medication and that the dosage is correct. Just like medical professionals, pharmacists and pharmacy techs have a duty to use reasonable care when handling, filling, and administering advice regarding prescriptions. Although some prescription errors are relatively harmless, other medication interactions or dosages can lead to serious harm or even death. If you have lost a loved one to a fatality caused by a pharmacy error, we are ready to help you assert your rights. At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our Boston wrongful death lawyers understand how devastating this situation can be. Let us provide you with the compassionate and attentive legal counsel that you need and deserve.

Bringing a Wrongful Death Claim Based on a Pharmacy Error

Massachusetts allows the personal representative of a decedent’s estate to bring a personal injury action on behalf of the estate to pursue compensation for expenses and losses associated with the decedent’s untimely death. The personal representative essentially asserts any causes of action that the decedent would have been able to assert had he or she not died. When it comes to liability for pharmacy errors, it can be difficult to determine which parties are at fault. There are often many entities involved in prescribing and dispensing functions of medications. Their negligence can take many forms, including improper dosages, incorrect medications, failing to identify drug allergies, failing to identify lethal drug interactions, and more.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiff’s lawyer must show that the defendant did not use adequate care and skill when handling the medication and that the decedent lost his or her life or suffered serious injuries as a result. In general, medical professionals are required to use the same practices and procedures that other similarly qualified medical professionals would use when treating a patient or handling medication involving similar circumstances. The causal relationship between the defendant’s lack of conduct and the death is critical to prove. This is especially true if the decedent used other medications or had a particularly complicated medical history. As with other medical malpractice cases, lawsuits involving fatalities caused by pharmacy errors generally require the assistance of a medical expert who can evaluate the claim and describe how the defendant’s conduct failed to meet the minimum level of care required.

Regarding damages in these cases, the personal representative of the decedent’s estate can recover compensation for any medical bills and funeral expenses that the estate incurred. The surviving family members can also seek compensation for the loss of their loved one’s support, companionship, and love. These damages can be difficult to quantify, so it is important to have a knowledgeable wrongful death lawyer on your side who knows how to present the full extent of your loss persuasively.

Discuss Your Potential Case With a Medical Malpractice Attorney in Boston

There are few things in life as difficult as the sudden loss of a loved one. We have seen firsthand the trauma that a family endures when a medical professional fails to use appropriate care and skill in handling and administering medication. After a fatality caused by a pharmacy error, your loved one deserves justice, and you deserve the financial assistance needed to adjust to your loss. We serve families bringing wrongful death claims based on pharmacy errors or other forms of medical negligence in cities such as Boston, Cambridge, Waltham, Lowell, Newton, Somerville, Quincy, Dedham, Norwood, Brookline, Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Plymouth, Worcester, Lawrence, and Springfield. Call us at 1-800-379-1244 or contact us online to set up a free consultation and find out more about your potential legal options. We handle our cases on a contingency fee basis, so you will not need to pay us anything unless we recover an award or settlement for you.