The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCCMERP) defines a medication error as “any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer.” Patients of any age are vulnerable to the harms of medication errors, but newborns can be especially at risk.
If you believe your baby was harmed due to a medication error, get in touch with a New York medication error lawyer from Buttafuoco & Associates.
The Risk of Medication Use During Pregnancy and Labor
Every medication given during pregnancy or labor has the potential to affect both mother and baby, so doctors must weigh benefits and risks carefully. Medical professionals should only prescribe what’s necessary and ensure precise dosing.
Overdoses risk distress to the mother, which can lead to severe fetal trauma or death. Furthermore, newborns are especially vulnerable to overdoses because they have not fully developed the ability to metabolize medications, so even small dosing errors can lead to severe consequences.
According to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, the following are high-risk medications commonly administered during labor:
- Epinephrine
- Epidural or intrathecal medications
- Insulin
- Magnesium sulfate
- Oxytocin
- Nitroprusside
- Potassium chloride
- Promethazine
Examples of Incorrect Medication Dosage Injuries
Doctors commonly administer magnesium sulfate during pregnancy and labor to prevent preeclampsia, eclampsia, or preterm labor. But as a high-alert drug, it requires extreme caution.
The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing found that cases of incorrect magnesium sulfate dosing during labor or delivery are common and dangerous. The most common error leading to the overdose was a rapid infusion of a complete bag of magnesium sulfate. While in most instances, the medical team could prevent any lasting harm, several of these cases resulted in death or serious injury to the mother or infant.
Oxytocin is often used to promote contractions during stalled labor, but it can have serious side effects with incorrect dosage. An overdose of Oxytocin can cause:
- Intense and prolonged labor
- Cervical and vaginal lacerations
- Uterine rupture
- Postpartum hemorrhage
- Slowed fetal heart rate
- Fetal hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
Furthermore, since Oxytocin is an antidiuretic, it can cause water intoxication in the mother, causing injury to her and potential injury or death to her baby.
Other medication dose errors that can lead to catastrophic outcomes include:
- Medication pump programming errors
- Improper medication labeling
- Failure to review medication dose
Not all medication errors have lasting effects, and many can be prevented with quick intervention from the medical team. In some cases, however, medication errors can result in severe, lasting impacts, including organ damage, brain damage, or death.
Since these damages take place at the beginning of life, they can create permanent health complications for your newborn, requiring lifelong care and significant financial and emotional strain.
If you or your child has suffered injury due to incorrect medication dosing, a New York medication errors attorney may be able to help. Cases like these can be complicated, and having a solid legal perspective is indispensable. If you are unsure of next steps after this type of injury, Buttafuoco & Associates can help you determine whether you have a case and explain your rights.
Seeking Compensation for Medication Errors
Medication errors are considered a form of medical malpractice. This means that if you can prove that the negligence of a doctor, pharmacist, or other medical professional led to you or your child’s injury—or even death—you may be entitled to significant compensation.
Compensation for both short- and long-term damages is recoverable in a birth injury lawsuit if you can prove a doctor or pharmacist’s negligence caused injury or death to mother or child. According to our birth injury lawyers serving New York, successful cases show:
- The medication error directly caused harm to you or your child.
- The injury resulted in compensable damages
- The medical provider breached safety standards that would have otherwise prevented the error.
Additionally, in the tragic event of the wrongful death of an infant, timing is extremely important. Legally, fetal death in utero is different from a death that occurs after delivery.
Given the complexity of these cases, proving a birth injury or death due to medication errors is difficult. Buttafuoco & Associates can give you the resources to build your case and advocate on your behalf.
Call 1-800-NOW-HURT to schedule a free case review with a seasoned New York medication error lawyer.