In addition to the over 600 locations throughout the state of Illinois, Walgreens pharmacy also offers mail service where medications can be delivered right to your door. As a highly recognized nationwide pharmacy, Walgreens fills millions of pharmaceutical prescriptions in the state each year. Unfortunately, because of the human element of filling prescribed drugs, Walgreens has had numerous personal injury claims filed against them when the pharmacist or technician causes an error or mistake.
When a child suffers injury as the result of a Walgreens pharmacy error by taking the wrong drug, or at the wrong dosage, the outcome can be catastrophic. This is because many of the effects of many medications are too strong for a child to handle based on their age, weight and low body mass.
While pharmacy errors are not exclusive to Walgreens, many of their pharmacists and technicians have filled prescriptions incorrectly or caused some other type of mistake that has resulted in significant harm to their customers. Some of these errors include:
- Gave the customer another individual’s prescription
- Failed to identify medication interactions
- Gave the wrong usage directions
- Gave the customer the right medication in the wrong dosage
- Labeled the product with the right name but the wrong medication inside
- Failed to identify any patient medication allergy
- Failed to double check with the prescribing doctor if the prescription is unclear or illegible
- Confused two different medications and instead gave the customer a drug that looks like or sounds like other medications (i.e. lorazepam instead of alprazolam)
Above are just a few of the examples of how a medication mistake can happen. Any type of drug error can cause significant life-threatening consequences, especially when the customer is unaware of what the medication should look like, or how to determine the dosage strength of the drug based on the appearance of its size, shape, color or other markings.
How Mistakes Occur Involving Prescription Medications
All of us assume that when get our medications that a Walgreens pharmacy, only a licensed pharmacist is filling the prescription. However, every pharmacy works differently and many allow pharmacy technicians with only a high school diploma and minimal training to handle the medication during labeling and packaging. In addition to inputting the customer’s data into the computer system, the technician might also label the prescription bottle, repair and fill the prescription, and assist the customer in providing usage information.
There are common reasons that medicine mistakes occur at a Walgreens pharmacy. Some of these include:
- Pharmacy technician understaffing during busy times of the month
- Overworked pharmacists and technician staff due to minimal staff
- Inadequate training on how to ensure the correct medication is given to the right customer
- Negligence of the pharmacist when supervising pharmacy technicians
- Miscommunication between doctors and pharmacy staff
- The pharmacist or technician neglected to follow proper protocol when preparing, labeling, packaging and delivering the medication to the customer
- Malfunctioning automated systems designed to dispense medication accurately
- Cost-cutting measures to reduce staff and increase profits
Taking Legal Action When a Pharmacy Error Made By Walgreens Injures or Kills a Loved One
If you have suffered serious injuries or a loved one has died from a Walgreens pharmacy error, it is essential to take civil action immediately before the statute of limitations expires. Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers LLC handle all types of medical malpractice and pharmacy malpractice cases including prescription errors, medication mistakes, dispensing errors and pharmacy negligence. We can assist you in filing a claim or lawsuit against Walgreens to hold them accountable for the injuries you have sustained.
We can provide legal representation to help you recover financial compensation so you can recoup your medical expenses, lost earnings, pain, suffering, and other damages. Our skilled attorneys will review your claim, hire medical and legal experts and gather evidence to build a solid case for compensation. Our law firm will represent your best interest and assert your rights throughout the legal process to maximize the amount of recompense you receive. We accept these types of cases on contingency to eliminate the need of any upfront fees.
