Minnesota Prescription Drug Error Lawyer Concerned About Prescription Errors Leading to Serious Injury or Death

Far too often, medical professionals fail to prescribe right medication for a patient. Thousands of are victims of prescription drug errors each year. A prescription drug error is a medical mistake which most commonly occurs in hospitals, nursing homes and pharmacies. Failure to give the correct dosage of a medication can cause severe damage to a patient.

Most often, prescription drug errors involve:

  • Prescribing medications without performing adequate medical tests and failure to understand the allergic reactions to certain prescribed drugs;
  • Newer medications can have a negative effect if prescribed or consumed with older medicines;
  • Prescription errors can arise because of prescribing medications to individuals with critical health problems such as heart trouble, liver or kidney problems;
  • Prescribing the wrong medication or wrong dose is a mistake and that can cause severe injury or death.

Many doctors do not give due importance to their handwriting. Many times pharmacists are unable to read the instructions correctly. Prescription errors which are a result of poor handwriting methods are dangerous and can affect the patient’s health.

More often than not, wrong medications can have a devastating effect on the health of a patient and can pave the way for future health complications.

Drug reactions due to the consumption of wrong medications are serious and many doctors fail to diagnose such cases correctly and continue the treatment process by prescribing additional medications.

The results of prescription drug errors in children and infants are more dangerous than adults. Small children are more prone to serious injuries because they are unable to tolerate drug reactions due to a weak immune system. Avoid prescription errors in children and infants by prescribing medications based on age and weight factor. Prescription errors can be avoided but sadly plenty of small children are reported to be victims of malpractice.

Here are some tips designed to prevent prescription errors:

  • It is possible to avoid prescription errors by making a habit of checking all medications before consuming them.
  • Make sure that you are receiving the correct medications as per the prescription and never hesitate to ask several questions regarding the drug information and side effects associated with it.
  • Read the information and drug labels several times before purchasing the medications from a pharmacy shop.
  • If possible try to ensure that you are consuming the correct medicine by checking it with a doctor who has prescribed the medication.

Are you or a loved one the victim of a prescription drug error? Contact a MN prescription drug error lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form. We never charge a fee unless we win a settlement on your behalf.

Minnesota Misdiagnosis Lawyer Summarizes Three Types of Misdiagnosis by Negligent Health Professionals

Medical professionals are highly qualified and are expected to accurately diagnose medical problems. Proper diagnosis can help in the treatment of disease as it enables proper treatment. On the other hand, misdiagnosis of a patient’s medical condition can cause serious health complications. Misdiagnosis is a major medical mistake and the medical professional is responsible for the injuries and health complications caused due to the incorrect diagnosis.

More often than not, medical misdiagnosis is caused by a medical professional’s inability to exhibit the minimum skill and expertise associated with the profession. When a misdiagnosis occurs, the victim has the right to seek reparation for suffering and loss.

There are different types of misdiagnosis, which is a medical error caused by the negligence of medical professionals.

In some misdiagnosis situations a medical professional fails to diagnose the correct medical condition of a patient. For example if you are suffering from a chest pain, a professional physician will always check your blood pressure for heart related problems. In the case of wrong diagnosis a patient may be given medication for heartburn and indigestion, when they are suffering from a serious heart problem.

Treating patients without knowledge of special health conditions such as diabetes, heart trouble, and other critical conditions can cause serious injuries or illness. It is important to study the case history of a patient before treatment. A skilled medical professional is prompt in identifying critical medical conditions of a patient and will never take the risk of giving wrong treatments.

Failure to diagnose the root cause of a disease is also regarded as a misdiagnosis error. In many cases one disease is a symptom of another. For example hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart problems are always associated with type one diabetes complications. Therefore, a failure to diagnose secondary conditions is a critical issue.

Are you or a family member the victim of a doctor's misdiagnosis? Contact a MN misdiagnosis lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form. We never charge a fee unless we win a settlement on your behalf.

Minnnesota Medication Error Lawyer Describes Common Situations Leading to Medication Error Lawsuits

Thousands of people in the United States are victims of medication errors each year. Numerous attempts have been made to reduce medication errors. Medication errors can lead to serious problems and can cause serious injuries and health complications. Millions of people rely on prescribed medications in order to maintain their general health, and medication errors in hospitals, pharmacies, and nursing homes can cause serious medical issues.

Medication errors can occur because of medical mistakes. Children and infants are at a higher risk than adults. Errors due to poor handwriting can create confusion between the pharmacist and physician.

Common types of medication errors include:

  • Prescribing wrong dose;
  • Prescribing medications without diagnosis;
  • Wrong labeling errors;
  • Confusion between medications of similar names;
  • Errors due to poor handwriting practice;
  • Prescribing medications without knowledge of patient’s medical history; and
  • Overdose

Wrong dose medication error is the most common medication mistake in hospitals, clinics, and other health care centers. Sadly, many have died due to wrong dose medication error. Some of the factors that are associated with wrong dose medication error include:

  • Lack of communication between hospital staff;
  • Unclear drug labeling;
  • Prescribing drugs without considering vital statistics such as blood pressure, heart rate; and
  • Failure to store medications properly

Has you or a loved one suffered because of a medication error? Contact a MN medication error lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form. We never charge a fee unless we win a settlement on your behalf.

Minnesota Erb's Palsy Lawyers Address the Signs, Symptoms and Treatment of Erbs Palsy Sustained During Childbirth

Erb’s Palsy, which is primarily a form of brachial plexus palsy, is defined as a medical condition which involves stretch injury to the brachial plexus nerve fibers. These nerves are responsible for the movement and feeling to the arms, hands and fingers.

The following are the signs and symptoms of Erb’s Palsy:

  • Failure to control muscles;
  • Flaccidity and low muscle tone in the muscles of arms;
  • Decrease in sensation; or
  • Partial or complete paralysis

If your new born or a child in the family exhibits any of these symptoms, it is suggested that you get in touch with a medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. A reputable attorney can review your case and will help you protect your legal rights.

Birth injuries are the primary cause of majority of the Erb’s Palsy cases in children. Shoulder dystocia is the most widespread and common birth complication associated with Erb’s palsy. Shoulder dystocia is a medical condition during the childbirth process, in which the baby’s shoulder gets stuck in the mother’s pelvis. Erb’s Palsy is not a very common birth injury, as it affects two out of every 1000 babies. However, Erb’s Palsy is a critical medical condition which causes major injury and trauma.

In the instance of a shoulder dystocia during the childbirth, it is the responsibility of the doctor and other health professionals to avoid major injury to the child and mother by taking appropriate steps to prevent injury. Helper protocol is one such medical technique which can avoid birth injury, if employed properly. However, if the medical professionals fail to take these important steps which are crucial in avoiding Erb’s Palsy, then you have the right to seek compensation for the physical trauma and suffering of your child or family member.

Did your doctor explore all options?

  • McRobert’s maneuver;
  • Suprapubic pressure;
  • Rubin II;
  • Posterior pressure on the anterior shoulder;
  • Woods’ screw maneuver;
  • Jacquemier’s maneuver;
  • Zavanelli’s maneuver
  • Internal cephalic replacement ideally followed by Cesarean section; or
  • Symphisiotomy

Different categories of Erb’s Palsy:

  • Neuropraxia: This condition is limited to the stretching of the nerves and does not include any tearing. In neuropraxia, there is a high probability of healing without any medical help and support.
  • Rupture: Involves the tearing of nerves in the brachial plexus. Rupture can be cured without any medical intervention, provided the tearing does not extent to the spinal cord area.
  • Neuroma: A medical condition which develops due to the build of scar tissue at the damaged nerve site.
  • Avulsion: Avulsion is considered as the most critical case of Erb’s Palsy, as it involves total tearing and damage of the nerves in the spinal cord.

About 80% of the Erb’s Palsy victims recover on their own, without any medical help or intervention. Conversely, if the situation arises for an inevitable medical intervention, then a number of surgical options can be explored to correct Erb’s palsy. The majority of these surgical practices are capable of restoring health and vigor to the affected nerves.

Does your child suffer from Erb's Palsy as the result of medical negligence? Contact a MN Erb's Palsy lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form. We never charge a fee unless we win a settlement on your behalf.

Minnesota Failure to Diagnose Lawyer Concerned About Increasing Number of Malpractice Cases Based on a Doctor's Failure to Properly Diagnose

A failure to diagnose a medical condition is one of the most common forms of medical malpractice.  Nearly 40% of all malpractice cases involve a failure to diagnose.

It is the primary responsibility of a doctor to diagnose a medical condition correctly and accurately. In the instance of unclear symptoms or if the doctor is unable to diagnose the signs and symptoms with certainty, then it is the doctor’s responsibility to refer the patient to a specialist

In addition to the medical personnel, your insurance company can also be held liable for the failure to diagnose, if they fail to allow tests and follow up care.

In recent years, our lawyers have witnessed a surge in claims associated with a doctor's failure to diagnose. Conditions such as heart attack, stroke, meningitis, breast cancer, appendicitis, lung cancer, septic arthritis and colon cancer are often detected too late for a patient to make a complete recovery.

Have you or a loved one suffered because of a failure to diagnose by a treating doctor? Contact a Minnesota failure to diagnose attorney with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form. We never charge a fee unless we obtain a settlement on your behalf.

Minnesota Hospital Malpractice Lawyer Discusses Hospital Error Lawsuits

Hospital malpractice involves the negligence of hospital staff which leads to inferior or improper medical care, which in turn results in the unwarranted pain and suffering (or even death) of a patient. This implies that the patient does not receive quality medical care and support, which is expected from medical professionals. The term ‘hospital staff’ is not just limited to doctors, but also includes nurses, pharmacists, technicians and other hospital staff members.

Here are some common forms of hospital malpractice:

  • Mistaken Diagnosis;
  • Failure to Treat a Patient;
  • Failure to Monitor or Stabilize a Patient’s Condition;
  • Failure to Refer to Specialists;
  • Failure to Order the Necessary Tests;
  • Equipment Failure;
  • Extravasation Injury;
  • IV Errors; and
  • Emergency Room Errors.

A growing number of hospitals are coming forward to implement plans and ideas to ensure medical safety and care to their patients. This endeavor includes formation of safety teams which develop policies to reduce hospital malpractice. It is the responsibility of your hospital and doctor to provide you with the best of medical services and attention, and anything less than that is not acceptable. 

Have you or a family member suffered a serious injury because of hospital malpractice? Contact a MN hospital malpractice lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Please call (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form.

Minnesota Emergency Room Malpractice Attorney Summarizes Emergency Room Malpractice Cases

The ER is the most hectic and demanding work environment in the medical field. Emergency rooms are also the place for countless medical errors, some of which result in serious injuries (or wrongful death) to a patient. Statistics reveal that approximately 225,000 patients die each year because of an act of medical malpractice. More than half of these deaths are attributed to emergency room errors.

There are a number of causes of emergency room errors. One of the primary reasons involves poor training and under-qualification of medical professionals, such as doctors as nurses. Understaffed hospitals and ill-equipped emergency rooms add to the plight. Lack of basic amenities and overworked health professionals often fail to meet the pressure and demand of an emergency room.

Despite these shortcomings, patients have the right to expect best service and care from the medical community. In majority of the cases, emergency room errors occur due to the lack of proper care and medical attention during the admission process. Here are some common emergency room errors:

  • Misdiagnosis of serious conditions such as heart attacks and fatal infections;
  • Failure to diagnose fatal illnesses and injuries;
  • Delayed diagnosis of fatal illnesses and injuries;
  • Misinterpretation of the results of medical tests;
  • Errors in medication;
  • Errors in prescription;
  • Errors in omissions;
  • Birth injuries;
  • Negligence; and
  • Patient dumping

If you or a member of your family has become a victim of an emergency room error, you are not alone. You have the right to seek legal assistance in obtaining fair compensation for your loss.

Have you been injured through the malpractice of an emergency room doctor or nurse? Contact a MN emergency room malpractice lawyer with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Please call (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form.

Minnesota Surgery Malpractice Lawyer Addresses Surgery Malpractice Actions

Millions prefer to go through a surgical procedure in order to achieve a prompt recovery and pain-free result. The benefits of any type of surgery are great, but at the same time the possibility of surgical malpractice cannot be ignored.

Surgical malpractice has become a major issue as there are numerous reports of thousands of deaths associated with surgical mistakes. Any type of surgery is associated with few risk factors such as anesthesia, reactions, blood clots, infections, and many other complications. Surgical patients have trusted faith in their surgeon and believe that the medical team is competent, experienced, and capable of handling any type of surgical problem.

Planning a surgery without evaluating patient’s medical history, allergies to medications, habits such as smoking or drinking, and family history can increase the risk of surgical errors. The surgeon must be qualified and experienced in order to perform the surgery with no risk of surgical errors.

The majority of surgical malpractice cases occur during the procedure itself. A few examples of surgical mistakes made by a negligent or careless medical team include:

  • Incorrect incision;
  • Use of unsterile equipment during the procedure;
  • Damaging nearby organs during surgery;
  • Nerve damage;
  • Prolonged Surgery; and
  • Anesthesia errors

Many surgical medical malpractice cases involve surgical equipment left in patient’s body, wrong-site surgery or operating on the wrong patient or wrong organ.

Surgical medical malpractice cases can also occur after surgery due to medical team's failure to provide sufficient care and safety to the patient. These surgical errors can result in severe infections, septic, delayed healing, and many other serious consequences.

Have you been injured or lost a loved one because of surgery malpractice? Contact a MN surgery malpractice attorney with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form.

Minnesota Gastric Bypass Error Lawyer Discusses Gastric Bypass Malpractice Lawsuits

Bariatric surgical procedures have seen a huge growth in popularity in the recent years. This is primarily because of the increasing rate of obesity in the United States coupled with medical advancement in the field of weight loss. Gastric bypass surgery is undoubtedly the most common bariatric surgical procedure as more than 100,000 procedures are performed every year across the country.

In spite of the increasing popularity, gastric bypass surgery is considered as one of the most complicated and dangerous surgeries. The relatively young age of the procedure and the inherent complications add to the complex nature of bypass surgery. Gastric bypass errors are quite common and are sharply on the rise because of medical negligence and malpractice.

The increasing popularity of gastric bypass surgery has also caused a considerable rise in gastric bypass errors and injuries. A report released by the American Medical Association suggests that a staggering two percent of the individuals (one in 50) who undergo gastric bypass surgery die within one month, while about five percent (one in 20) of the individuals die within a period of one year.

Other than death, a gastric bypass error can also cause a number of health complications and problems such as:

  • Abscess;
  • Bleeding;
  • Infection;
  • Internal leaking; and
  • Hernia

Have you been injured or lost a loved one because of a gastric bypass error? Contact a MN gastric bypass error attorney with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form.

Minnesota Pharmacist Malpractice Lawyer Summarizes Pharmacy Malpractice Lawsuits

A pharmacist has a duty to fill prescriptions correctly and without error. Pharmacists working at a drug store, hospital, clinic, nursing home, or any location must perform their duties with care and proper knowledge of the drugs they encounter.

A misfiled prescription by pharmacists can cause severe injuries or even death. It is the duty of a pharmacist to confirm the dosage of a drug with a physician in order to ensure that no error has been committed. There is a shortage of experienced pharmacists and the amount of work in the pharmacy field is increasing every day.

A few examples of pharmacy malpractice include:

  • Prescription of one patient is given to another patient;
  • Providing the wrong medication or wrong dose;
  • Failure to understand correct medications with similar names;
  • Providing a patient with a medication that has been compounded incorrectly;
  • Dispensing the right medication but the wrong directions;
  • Misreading the prescribed medicine due to bad handwriting of a physician;
  • Failure to warn patients before dispensing medicines;
  • Mislabeling errors; and
  • Dispensing errors caused by stress, work-loads, and lack of backup

The following are some common consequences stemming from pharmacist malpractice:

  • Allergic Reactions;
  • Serious Injuries;
  • Death; and
  • Permanent Disability

As thousands of new drugs get introduced in the market, pharmacist malpractice is becoming more common. Keeping a close eye on each and every medication is not an easy job, and a shortage of experienced pharmacists in the United States is the real point of concern. Millions of people in the United States are victims of medical malpractice, and surprisingly an increasingly higher percentage of negligence cases are due to pharmacist malpractice.

Have you been injured or lost a loved one because of an act of malpractice by a pharmacist? Contact a MN pharmacist malpractice attorney with the Brown Law Offices, P.A. We offer free consultations at your home, work, hospital or one of our six Twin Cities metro offices. Contact us by calling (612) 789-2100 or submit an inquiry through our online consultation form.