Las Vegas Nursing Home Medication Error Attorneys
Fighting for the Rights of Nursing Home Residents
Medication errors in nursing homes can be extremely dangerous. Mixing up a dose, drug, or patient may cause any number of unpredictable and unsafe side effects. If your elderly loved one was staying in a Las Vegas nursing home and was hurt after taking the incorrect medication, explore your legal options to demand justice now.
Burris & Thomas, LLC is always standing by to help locals seek justice and compensation in difficult legal situations. Our nursing home medication lawyers are available to hear your story, so we can tell you how to start legal action. We’ve been doing this for more than 45 years, so you know that you can trust a case as important as yours with us.
Ask for a free case review now by dialing (702) 529-3101.
Forms of Nursing Home Medication Errors
Nursing home medication errors refer to mistakes made during the prescribing, dispensing, or administering of medications to elderly residents, especially when doing so could have serious and potentially life-threatening consequences. Medication errors in nursing homes often occur due to entirely preventable mistakes, too, such as miscommunication, lack of proper training, understaffing, or inadequate monitoring systems. If a medication error reasonably should have been avoided, which is true in most cases, the nursing home might be liable for any harm the mistake causes.
Five common nursing home medication errors or mistakes are:
- Administering incorrect dosages, whether too high or too low
- Giving residents the wrong medication altogether
- Failing to account for drug interactions with existing prescriptions
- Neglecting to monitor for adverse side effects post-administration
- Mislabeling or misreading prescriptions
Harm Caused by Nursing Home Medication Errors
Elderly nursing home residents can be particularly vulnerable to injuries caused by medication errors due to several age-related factors and complexities in their healthcare management. As people age, they often face chronic health conditions that necessitate the use of various medications, such as those related to blood pressure and heart health. The more medication that someone uses, the higher the risk of drug interactions and complications. Furthermore, age-related physiological changes can alter how medications are absorbed and metabolized, which can increase the risk of a medication error without precise administration and monitoring procedures.
A medication error may cause an elderly nursing home resident to suffer from:
- Allergic reactions or anaphylaxis
- Organ damage, particularly to the liver or kidneys
- Increased risk of falls due to dizziness or confusion
- Cardiovascular complications such as arrhythmias
- Gastrointestinal issues, including nausea or ulcers
- High fevers or hot flashes
Our FAQ
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 702-529-3101 today!
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How much is my case worth?
There are many factors that go into evaluating the settlement value of a personal injury case. It is not a simple matter of applying a formula. Typically, everyone thinks that their case is “simple” and “clear-cut”. Everyone tends to think that the amount of money they are seeking is “fair and reasonable”. That is human nature. However, the reality is that, in the end, a personal injury case is worth what a jury says it is worth. The job of the victim’s personal injury lawyer is to come up with a settlement that reflects the risk of going to trial (odds of winning vs. odds of losing), together with the range of what value a jury might actually return on the case.
In deciding settlement values, we need to consider the following:
- Is fault clear, or contested?
- Are the injuries severe or mild?
- Is there an issue with insurance coverage?
- Is the client a good communicator?
- Is the defendant/wrongdoer likable or unlikable?
Normally, I am able to give a very general estimate range of settlement value and odds soon after taking on a case, with the understanding that these are just estimates and not guarantees. The longer the case goes on, the more definite I can be about the settlement value range.
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Do I have a personal injury case?
It is often times said by attorneys that in order for there to be a viable personal injury case, there must be “three legs on the stool.” These legs are: liability (or fault); damages (or injury); and collectability (insurance). If any one of the “legs” is missing, then there is not a viable case.
- Liability - A clear example of liability would be someone running through a red light. That person would be at fault. On the other hand, let us say that somebody is hit by a meteorite falling from the sky, and seriously hurt. In that case, although there is injury, there is no earthly entity at fault.
- Damages - An example of damages would be someone getting hit in the nose by an airbag, which breaks their nose. That person has an injury caused by the collision. On the other hand, what if that same person is almost hit by a car running a red light, but by the grace of God is able to avoid the collision? That person might say “I was almost killed, but I didn’t get a scratch.” In that case, the person was not injured and there is no case.
- Collectability - To give an example of collectability, imagine that a drunk driver runs through a red light, and the driver is Donald Trump. In that case, if Donald Trump hit and injured someone when he ran the red light, the victim will be able to collect upon any judgment that they receive. Imagine, on the other hand, that the drunk driver is someone who just got out of prison, and has no insurance and no property. Although that person will probably go to jail, there is no practical way to collect money from him, as he is a “scofflaw” living outside responsibilities of society.
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What Is the Nevada Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Cases?
When it comes to filing a personal injury lawsuit, it's important to pay attention to the statute of limitations for the state you're filing in. A statute of limitations is the time limit that a state puts on how long after your accident you are allowed to file a personal injury lawsuit. Statutes vary from state to state.
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 11.190(4)(e) (2016) states that individuals wishing to file a personal injury lawsuit must do so within 2 years of the date of their accident. However, there are certain exceptions that can be made depending on your circumstances. For example, if you have been injured as a result of medical malpractice, you generally only have 1 year to file your lawsuit after the date of your injury (Nevada Revised Statutes section 41A.097).
Statute of limitations can be complex, and if you fail to file your lawsuit within the allotted amount of time your case will most likely be dismissed. Don't put your compensation on the line! Contact our experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorneys today to schedule a free consultation and determine what your next steps should be.
