What Types of Medication Mistakes Are Grounds for a Nursing Home Neglect Lawsuit?

 Posted on January 28, 2021 in Medication Errors

Modern medicine has allowed people to live decades longer than we used to. Diseases that would once quickly kill an individual may now be cured by simply taking a couple of pills. However, in order for medications to be effective, they must be properly dosed and administered. Medication mistakes in a nursing home can lead to needless resident suffering and may even contribute to a resident’s untimely death. If your loved one was the victim of a medication error in a nursing home, you may wonder if you have grounds for a lawsuit. A nursing home injury claim may help you hold the negligent nursing home accountable for your loved one’s harm, however, a successful claim is only possible in certain situations.

Types of Medication Errors in Illinois Nursing Homes

Most nursing home residents rely on at least one or more medications to keep symptoms of medical ailments under control. Medications may be used to ease a resident’s pain, fight infection, avoid blood clots, treat abnormal heart rhythms, and much more. When a resident does not receive the appropriate medication, he or she may suffer from new and worsening health complications. Sadly, some medication mistakes are fatal. Some of the most common medication errors in nursing homes include:

• Administration of the wrong type of medication
• Administration of “sound alike” medication
• Improper administration technique
• Skipped dose of medication
• Giving too much or too little medication

When is a Successful Lawsuit Possible?

If your loved one was the victim of a medication error while living in a nursing home, you may be curious about your legal options. A nursing home injury claim may allow you to hold the nursing home accountable for the mistake and recover financial compensation for damages. To bring a successful nursing home injury lawsuit, you and your attorney will need to demonstrate that:

• The nursing home facility owed your loved one a duty of care. Being an official resident in a nursing home satisfies this requirement.
• The nursing home failed to uphold the duty of care. This means that the nursing home staff acted in a way that violated the nursing home’s obligation to provide competent care.
• The resident was injured or killed because of the nursing home’s negligence.
• Damages resulted from the substandard nursing home care.

Contact a Cook County Nursing Home Lawsuit Lawyer

If your loved one was the victim of a medication mistake while living in a nursing home, you may be able to hold the facility answerable for your loved one’s harm and recover damages through a lawsuit. Contact a Chicago medication error attorney from Schwartz Injury Law to learn more. Call 312-535-4625 for a free case review.

Source:

http://www.illinoiscourts.gov/CircuitCourt/CivilJuryInstructions/IL_IPI_Civil.pdf