What Happens if a Pharmacy's Mistake Makes You Sick?

I have had at least half a dozen clients contact me with a similar scenario. They took their prescription to their pharmacist, the pharmacy filled it, they began taking the medication, and then noticed that they were becoming ill, their symptoms were getting worse, or that they were behaving oddly.

In all cases, it turned out the National Brand Pharmacy had made critical errors and filled their prescription with the wrong medication.

How Does a Mistake Like that Occur?

Pharmacists are busy. They are purposely understaffed (so the large chain pharmacy can make money). Often, medications are similarly named and even can look almost identical (many white, round pills that look almost alike).

It happens quite frequently.

Examples of Errors by Pharmacies

One client had been prescribed pain medication. She was given anti-psychotic medication. Over the course of a few weeks, she took the medication diligently, only to discover she was exhibiting signs of psychosis and delusions. Her family noticed she was acting out of character. She went to her doctor and he immediately noticed the medication in her pill bottle had been improperly filled with the wrong medication.

Fortunately, after a week or so, she was back to normal.

Another client was given the right medication but the prescription frequency was wrong, so she wound up taking three times the prescribed dosage. This could have been fatal! Fortunately, the error was discovered quickly and she is fine now.

What Should You Do if You Receive the Wrong Medicine from a Pharmacy?

Go to your physician immediately. Bring your pills with you so he or she can examine them.

If you discover the mistake quickly, the symptoms should go away just as quickly.

Am I entitled to Money for a Pharmacy's Mistake?

Yes.

If you fall ill or exhibit embarrassing symptoms from a medication mistake, you are entitled to be compensated for that pain and suffering, loss of a normal life, and other damages. The amount you receive depends on how bad your symptoms are, how long they exist for, and whether there is any permanent damage.

Contact Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Stephen Hoffman

As with any legal questions, your best option if you think you've become sick from a medication error is to contact a personal injury lawyer immediately.

If you or a loved one were given the wrong medicine or dosage and you have questions, contact Chicago personal injury attorney Stephen L. Hoffman for a free consultation at (773) 944-9737. Stephen has nearly 30 years of legal experience and has collected millions of dollars for his clients. He is listed as a SuperLawyer, has a 10.0 rating on Avvo, and is BBB A+ accredited. He is also an Executive Level Member of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.

Stephen handles personal injury and workers' compensation claims on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything upfront and he only gets paid if you do. Don’t wait another day, contact Stephen now.