South Florida Personal Injury Blog

Medical professionals must demonstrate a level of competence in their fields to obtain licensure. They also must provide appropriate care for their patients, says West Palm Beach accident attorney Andrew Alitowski. Unfortunately, in some instances, a patient receives improper medical treatment which causes serious damage.

Palm Beach injury attorney Alitowski uses an emergency room physician as an example. Where a patient or her next of kin fills out medical paperwork, even noting allergies to certain prescription drugs, the doctor must be careful with regard to which antibiotics to dispense. If the patient states that she is allergic to penicillin, the emergency room physician should know better than to administer penicillin (or a very closely related antibiotic, such as amoxicillin) to treat her infection. In the event that the patient is prescribed that antibiotic, and becomes very ill as a result, she may have a claim for monetary damages against the doctor and the hospital where she was treated. Where the patient actually dies from the inappropriately administered medication, the patient’s family and her own estate may have a cause of action against the doctor and the hospital.

Similarly, a pharmacist who fills a prescription incorrectly can cause wide-ranging results. An elderly person who takes daily heart medication for his health, but who inexplicably receives allergy medication when he gets a refill from the pharmacy, may or may not be hurt by the new medicine, depending on the type of medication, strength, dosage, and other factors. He is likely to be seriously hurt, however, by the fact that he did not receive his heart medication.

Psychiatric professional can be held liable for failure to fulfill their duties, as well. This most frequently occurs when a patient has been checked into an inpatient facility because he is a danger to himself or others. The hospital is charged with monitoring him, treating him, and keeping him safe. If the hospital fails – which surely occurs if the patient actually commits suicide or seriously injures himself on the premises – the patient’s family may be able to sue the psychiatric treatment hospital.