Free Consultation: 405-698-3125
Medical Malpractice

Medication Errors in Oklahoma

Wrong drug. Wrong dose. Wrong patient. Medication errors are preventable—and when they cause harm, we hold pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors accountable.

Free Case Evaluation(405) 698-3125

Key Takeaways

  • 1.3 million Americans harmed by medication errors annually
  • Three stages of error: Prescribing, dispensing, administration
  • Pharmacies can be sued: For dispensing errors and missed interactions
  • Allergy errors = negligence: Documented allergies should never be missed

On This Page

What Is a Medication Error?

A medication error is any preventable event that leads to inappropriate medication use or patient harm. These errors can occur at any point in the medication process—from the doctor's prescription pad to the nurse's syringe.

The "five rights" of medication administration require: right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time. Violating any of these creates potential for harm.

The Scope of the Problem

The Institute of Medicine reports that preventable medication errors harm at least 1.5 million Americans every year, with associated costs exceeding $3.5 billion annually. In hospitals, medication errors occur in approximately 1 in 5 doses given.

Types of Medication Errors

Medication errors fall into three main categories based on when they occur:

Prescribing Errors (Doctor)

Wrong drug prescribed
Wrong dose ordered
Missed drug-drug interaction
Ignored documented allergy
Wrong route (oral vs. IV)
Illegible handwriting

Dispensing Errors (Pharmacy)

Wrong medication dispensed
Wrong strength given
Look-alike drug confusion
Wrong patient's medication
Incorrect labeling
Missed interaction warning

Administration Errors (Nurse/Staff)

Given to wrong patient
Wrong dose administered
Wrong time given
Wrong route (IV vs. IM)
Missed doses
Failure to monitor effects

Who Can Be Held Liable?

Multiple parties may be liable for a medication error, depending on where in the process it occurred:

DefendantLiable For
Prescribing DoctorWrong drug, wrong dose, missed allergies, dangerous interactions
HospitalEmployee errors, system failures, inadequate policies, understaffing
PharmacistDispensing errors, missed interactions, failure to counsel
Pharmacy (Corporate)Vicarious liability for employee errors, understaffing, system failures
NurseAdministration errors, failure to check orders, failure to monitor
Nursing HomeStaff errors, over-sedation, missed doses, inadequate training

Proving Medication Malpractice

To win a medication error case, we must prove:

1. An Error Occurred

We obtain prescription records, pharmacy logs, medication administration records (MARs), and chart notes to document exactly what happened.

2. Standard of Care Breached

Expert testimony establishes what a reasonable doctor, pharmacist, or nurse should have done—and how the defendant fell short.

3. Error Caused Harm

Medical experts connect the error to your injury—showing the wrong medication or dose caused the specific harm you suffered.

4. Measurable Damages

We document and quantify your harm: additional treatment, hospitalization, lost wages, pain, suffering, and any permanent effects.

Damages in Medication Error Cases

Economic Damages

  • Emergency treatment costs
  • Hospitalization expenses
  • Ongoing medical care
  • Lost wages
  • Lost earning capacity
  • Medication to treat side effects

Non-Economic Damages

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Permanent organ damage
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Wrongful death (family claims)

Frequently Asked Questions

A medication error is any preventable event that causes or could cause inappropriate medication use or patient harm. This includes prescribing the wrong drug, wrong dose, wrong route, wrong patient, failure to check for drug interactions, and failure to monitor for adverse effects. Medication errors occur at every stage: prescribing, dispensing, and administration.
According to the FDA, medication errors harm more than 1.3 million Americans annually. In hospitals, approximately 5% of patients experience a medication error. The Institute of Medicine estimates 7,000-9,000 Americans die annually from medication errors. Many more suffer preventable harm that goes unreported.
A prescribing error occurs when a doctor orders the wrong medication, wrong dose, wrong frequency, or wrong route of administration. Common causes include: failure to check patient allergies, failure to review drug interactions, illegible handwriting, miscalculating pediatric doses, and prescribing look-alike/sound-alike drugs by mistake.
A dispensing error occurs at the pharmacy when the pharmacist or pharmacy technician provides the wrong drug, wrong strength, wrong quantity, or wrong directions. This includes putting the correct drug in the wrong patient's bag, mislabeling bottles, and failing to catch dangerous drug interactions that should have triggered an alert.
An administration error occurs when a nurse or other healthcare provider gives the medication incorrectly—wrong patient, wrong time, wrong dose, wrong route (IV instead of oral), or failure to monitor. Hospital nurses are required to follow the 'five rights': right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time.
Yes. Pharmacists have a duty to accurately fill prescriptions and catch obvious errors. If a pharmacist dispensed the wrong medication, wrong strength, or failed to warn about dangerous interactions, the pharmacy can be held liable. Both the individual pharmacist and the corporate pharmacy chain may be sued.
LASA drugs have similar names or appearances that lead to confusion. Examples: Celebrex vs. Cerebyx, Zyrtec vs. Zyprexa, metformin vs. metronidazole. The FDA maintains a list of commonly confused drugs. Healthcare providers should use tall man lettering (metFORMIN vs. metroNIDAZOLE) and barcode scanning to prevent these errors.
This is a clear case of negligence. Your allergy should have been documented in your chart and flagged in the electronic prescribing system. Every healthcare provider—doctor, pharmacist, nurse—should have checked before administering medication. If they failed to check, they breached the standard of care.
We obtain your complete medical records, prescription history, and pharmacy records. Medical experts review whether the error occurred, whether it deviated from standard of care, and whether it caused your injury. Sometimes labs show toxic drug levels or tests show the wrong medication in your system.
You can recover medical expenses to treat the harm caused by the error, lost wages, pain and suffering, and permanent injury or disability. In wrongful death cases, family members can recover wrongful death damages. Oklahoma caps non-economic damages at $350,000 in most malpractice cases.
Nursing home medication errors are tragically common—many facilities are understaffed and rely on undertrained staff. Common errors include giving medications at wrong times, to wrong residents, missing doses, and over-sedation. We hold both the facility and responsible staff accountable.
Oklahoma has a 2-year statute of limitations from when you discovered (or should have discovered) the error. There's also a 3-year statute of repose. If the error happened recently, don't wait—consult an attorney immediately to preserve your rights and evidence.

Harmed by a Medication Error?

Wrong drug. Wrong dose. Wrong patient. If you were harmed by a preventable medication mistake, we'll hold the responsible parties accountable.

No Fee Unless We Win

Free Case Evaluation