Incorrect dosage medication errors occur when you receive a dose different from what you should receive. The dose could be higher or lower than the intended one and these medical errors can happen at the pharmacy, GP surgery or hospital.

The side effects of incorrect dosage medication errors can be terrible, and it can take a long time to get back to where you should be with the correct dose.

An incorrect dosage medication error can harm you in the short and the long term. It is not unusual for victims of this type of medical negligence to require medical attention.

Compensation claims for incorrect dosage errors are very common in the UK.

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What is an incorrect dosage medication error?

An incorrect dosage of medication error is when you are given a dosage which is different to the one which a doctor prescribed you. There are the common medication errors which happen when patient safety is compromised.

Common types of adverse drug events include:

  • Being dispensed the wrong dosage at the pharmacy
  • A medical professional giving you too many tablets
  • Receiving too few tablets from a medical professional

Giving the incorrect medication dose is a serious form of medical negligence.

Being dispensed the wrong dosage at the pharmacy

Being dispensed the wrong dosage at the pharmacy is a prime example of pharmacy negligence. They have given you a dose different from that prescribed by your doctor, and you are the one to suffer the medical errors with your prescription.

The pharmacy may give you the incorrect medication dosage or give you dosage instructions different from the doctor’s prescription. There can be errors with automated medication dispensing systems too, which can lead to adverse drug events.

The sticker on your bag may match what the doctor prescribed, but what is inside could be completely different.

A medical professional giving you too many tablets

A medical professional giving you too many tablets can happen in several ways.

There may be the wrong dosage on the prescription, the pharmacy may make a mistake, or your nurse may make the incorrect dosage error when administering it.

Too many tablets can cause patient harm even if the effects may take time to be noticed.

Example of pharmacy negligence

Receiving too few tablets from a medical professional

Receiving too few tablets from a medical professional is another common example of medical negligence. Your doctor may give you the wrong prescription, the pharmacy could make a mistake, or the hospital nurse could put too few in the dispensing cup.

Your body may react badly to too few tablets, and the effects could stay with you for a long time.

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Incorrect dosage errors

Incorrect dosage errors happen anywhere, and a few examples will show how easily and often they happen.

Too low a dosage of blood thinners medication:

Too low a dosage of blood thinners medication can increase a patient’s chances of a blood clot.

The doctor will prescribe blood thinners when a patient has a stent fitted or suffers from atrial fibrillation. Blood thinners, also known as anticoagulants, lower the risk of blood clots.

If given too low a dosage by a nurse, the patient is at a high risk of developing blood clots, which can cause a stroke.

Strokes, such as an ischaemic stroke, reduce the blood supply to the brain, starving the brain of oxygen. The resulting brain injury will affect speech and the ability to use the arms and legs.

For strokes to happen due to medication administration errors is unforgivable, as the wrong dose error could have been avoided.

Too high a dosage of blood thinners

Too high a dosage of blood thinners can cause extensive internal bleeding. The bleeding can occur anywhere but could easily be a bleed on the brain or gastrointestinal bleeding into the bowel. 

You will need to spend time in hospital and may well need a blood transfusion. Crucially the blood thinning medication will have to stop while they try to stem the bleeding, putting you at risk of developing a clot.

The medical professionals will be between a rock and a hard place. They want to stop the bleeding but do not want you to develop a clot.

An avoidable error if the medical professionals had not made the incorrect dosage error in the first place.

Anaphylaxis is a side effect of incorrect dosage

Anaphylaxis is a side effect of incorrect medication seen in many people. You can get an anaphylactic shock from too high a dosage. 

Another avoidable incorrect dosage medication error.

Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include swelling of the lips, throat, neck, and limbs. Other symptoms are confusion, anxiety, collapsing to the ground and losing consciousness.

Incorrect dosage of pain relief

Incorrect dosage of pain relief can happen after surgery. 

After an operation, you may be given pain relief, such as morphine, by an IV infusion. If the medical professional gives you an excessive amount of morphine, you could go into respiratory arrest or have significantly reduced respiratory effort. 

They will have to give you an emergency dose of Naloxone, an antidote to the overdose of morphine. Naloxone can give you nasty side effects and make you very ill. 

In extreme cases, a morphine incorrect medication error will result in an ITU admission. Many people will suffer from the psychological impacts of being admitted to ITU. 

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If you have been a victim of any form of medical negligence? We specialise in pursuing damages against negligent healthcare providers. It’s free and easy to speak with one of our team of medical negligence solicitors.

Avoidable errors of incorrect dosage

Avoidable errors of incorrect dosage can have serious effects on a patient. You may suffer further illness, internal injuries, and lifelong psychological trauma. 

Whether you suffer a too high or too low incorrect dosage medication error, it will have a dramatic and catastrophic impact on your health.

If you suffer from an incorrect dosage medication error, you can claim compensation.

Who is responsible for an incorrect dosage?

A medical professional is responsible for any incorrect dosage medication error.

It could be a pharmacy, your GP, nurse, a carer or hospital doctor who makes the error. The error may happen when giving you the medication or when the doctor writes the prescription.

Whoever makes the incorrect dosage medication error is responsible for answering your medical negligence claim.

We fight for our clients!

“Following open surgery in October 2022 I continued to have pain in my wound. It was discovered a piece of drain had been left inside me causing me pain and suffering and the need to have a further surgical procedure to remove it. In June 2023 Medical Negligence Team Law completed my claim and I got 100% compensation awarded. Thank you.”

Mrs B, Hertfordshire

“Our pharmacist gave my husband the incorrect medication and while on holiday and taking the medication my husband became seriously ill. We had to rush home from Spain as a result of this. Medical Negligence Team recovered the costs for our abandoned trip and compensation for the pain my husband endured while he was recovering. They were very friendly, responsive and we received 100% of the compensation with no deductions.”

Mrs A.P., Worksop

“Medical Negligence Team Law won my pharmacy negligence claim and I received 100% of the compensation recovered.”

Mr G.P. , South Yorkshire

“I am happy to accept the £3,000 compensation, I just want to thank you for helping me with this! Your service has been amazing!”

Miss M.P., West Yorkshire

“My late father had a fall in hospital breaking his hip which required surgery. The fall was due to a lack of supervision. Medical Negligence Team won our case and got us the compensation we deserved. We received 100% of the compensation recovered. Many thanks to all the team at Medical Negligence Team. Would definitely recommend them.”

Mr D.C., Nottingham

“I fractured my wrist and Barts Hospital Trust in London failed to arrange appropriate follow up in the fracture clinic and as a result my surgery was delayed. Medical Negligence Team Law obtained all my medical records and radiology and quickly settled my claim. I received 100% of the compensation recovered with no deductions”

Mrs C.M., London

“A leaking IV iron infusion caused permanent staining to my arm. I received £13,000 compensation,100% with no deductions. Would recommend Medical Negligence Team to anyone.”

Mrs R. R., South Yorkshire

“I needed surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. The NHS did the wrong operation first time round and they drained rather than remove the cyst. I then had to have a further operation to do the operation they should have done first time round with significant pain in between as the cyst came back. Medical Negligence Team quickly settled my claim. I received 100% of the compensation and was delighted with the service and communication throughout. They really are medical negligence experts”

Mrs T.S., South Yorkshire

“Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my claim. They were friendly and helpful throughout the whole process and above all I received 100% compensation recovered with no deductions.”

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“Great service and communication from everyone at Medical Negligence Team Law throughout my claim. They handled my claim on a No Win No Fee basis and I received 100% of the compensation recovered.”

Miss A.W , Liverpool

“My pharmacy issued me with quetiapine rather than venlafaxine which had a significant impact on my mental health. Andy, Anthony and the team at Medical Negligence Team were incredibly helpful and obtained compensation for the pain and suffering I endured as well as payment for loss of earnings. They paid all the compensation, 100%, to me. I would highly recommend them.”

Mrs S. R., Peterborough

“I required Tegretol medication for my underlying epilepsy and nocturnal seizure control but my pharmacy gave me something completely different by mistake. As a result after many years of having no seizures I had a number of seizures, a fall and needed time off work. The Medical Negligence Team got me the compensation I deserved including money for lost wages. They also paid 100% of the compensation to me with no deductions.”

Mr J.B., Kent

“My pharmacy incorrectly gave me fast acting insulin causing problems with my blood sugars which made me very unwell for one month until the mistake was discovered. Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my claim and I received 100% of the compensation with no deductions.”

Mr G.W. , Lincolnshire

“Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my medical negligence claim and I received 100% of the compensation recovered. I would highly recommend them.”

Miss P.R , North Yorkshire

“Your care and support was outstanding, making me feel supported and reassured and you kept in constant contact with any worries I had explained and swiftly responded to thank you, would recommend highly.”

Mr B.H., Brighton

How to start an incorrect dosage medication error claim

How to start an incorrect dosage medication error claim depends on where the negligence happened. Knowing who is responsible for the medication error will make it easier to take to correct steps to a successful compensation claim.

Depending on where the incorrect dosage error happens determines your first actions.

Incorrect dosage by pharmacy

Incorrect dosage by a pharmacy is easy to trace. 

When your pharmacy makes an incorrect medication dosage error, take pictures of the medication, box label and contents. 

Contact your GP for advice on how to deal with the situation, so they can tell what treatment and tests you may require. You may need to contact NHS 111 or attend A&E if you have any worrying symptoms.

Once your treatment plan is in place, a medical negligence solicitor can start the claim process. 

Incorrect dosage by GP

Incorrect dosage errors by your GP may have a similar paper trail to the pharmacy negligence. 

The GP may make a typo when doing your prescription, giving you the incorrect dosage. They could also misread your notes or not pay attention to what they are doing.

Either way, you could suffer from an incorrect dosage error.

Follow the same steps as for pharmacy negligence cases by taking clear pictures of the medication, box label and contents. Contact your GP to ensure you get the required medical advice to deal with the incorrect dosage. 

Your GP will advise what tests and investigations are required to deal with the impact or incorrect dosage. 

Do not hesitate to contact NHS 111 or attend A&E if you are in any way concerned based on the symptoms you are experiencing. 

Incorrect dosage by the hospital

Incorrect dosage by the hospital tends to be a little more technical. 

It could involve an incorrect dosage rate being provided through an infusion pump or the nurse giving too high or low a dose. 

The infusion pump could be faulty, causing you to get too much or even none of your medicine.

Hospital negligence

Our Process

Our team members have a higher career win rate with a 75% success rate on NHS letters of claim, compared to an industry average of 54.5%.

Enquiry

The first step is to get in touch and tell us what went wrong. It’s free and easy. Call our 24-hour helpline: 0800 246 1122 or request a callback here.

Medical Evaluation

Once you have spoken with our team we’ll let you know how we can help. Typically the next step is to obtain your medical records for us to review.

Legal Letter

Once all your medical records have been received they will be reviewed by a medically & legally qualified member of our team. If there is evidence of medical negligence we will send a letter of claim to the negligent party outlining your medical negligence claim.

What types of claims can be made for incorrect dosage medication errors?

Types of claims for incorrect dosage medication errors include those for pain, suffering and loss of amenity. 

In all medical negligence cases, there are two types of damages for which you claim compensation.

General damages

General damages are when you claim for the pain and suffering of the incorrect dosage medication error. Any direct discomfort and physical impairment you suffer from the incorrect dosage medication errors come under the general damages banner. 

A general damages claim includes headaches, excessive bleeding, and psychological trauma.

Special damages

Special damages are for loss of earnings, out-of-pocket expenses and any past and future care requirements. 

There may be a need to take time off work, or it could be you are unable to work for the rest of your life. The costs of care and the medical costs of fixing what went wrong can be very high.

The long-term effects of you suffering a stroke due to being given too low a dosage of medication can be expensive to remedy. The resulting financial claim can be very large, particularly where significant ongoing care requirements exist.  

You will need compensation to cover all financial costs of the incorrect dosage medication error, and a special damages claim covers them.

What to do after suffering an incorrect dosage medication error?

After suffering an incorrect medication error, you must follow the steps to claim compensation. You may be suffering from the stress of the errors, but by following each step correctly, you will get the money due to you.

A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will take on your claim and guide you along the steps to take.

Are you eligible for compensation?

If you want to obtain compensation for the negligence you have suffered, we have a simple 3 step process to make sure you get the money you deserve

  • Take our online assessment & speak with our team

  • Our team of doctors and lawyers will undertake a full medical review based on your medical records

  • We will send a legal letter of claim and our solicitors will pursue your compensation on your behalf

All case reviews are 100% cost and commitment free.

Step 1: Take pictures

Take pictures of all the evidence before you do anything else. Take as many photos as you can to help document the error. 

You should photograph the medication, the box, and all labels, including those on the bag.

If in hospital, take a picture of the infusion pump set at the incorrect rate. 

Step 2: Report the incorrect dosage medication error

Report the incorrect dosage medication error to the pharmacy, GP or hospital that made the mistake. Ask them to undertake an investigation and provide you with a written copy of that investigation.

Step 3: Obtain your medical records

Obtain your medical records to verify what happened to you. Your specialist No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will arrange to obtain your medical records with your permission.

Your medical records and the report from the negligent party will help the solicitor put together your claim.

Step 4: Sending a letter of claim

Sending a letter of claim is the next step in the process once the solicitor identifies the incorrect dosage error. 

Your medical negligence solicitor will send the letter of claim to the negligent party, asking them to make an offer of compensation for their negligence.

The negligent party has four months to respond to the letter of claim.

Step 5: Settling your claim

Settling your claim for an incorrect dosage medication error happens once the negligent party has admitted negligence.

Your solicitor will sit down with representatives of the pharmacy, GP or hospital that gave you an incorrect dosage. 

The claim will be valued for both general and special damages, and your medical negligence solicitor should only settle for the full value. 

A No Win No Fee 100% compensation guarantee

A No Win No Fee 100% Compensation guarantee solicitor is essential when taking a medical negligence claim. 

The No Win No Fee policy ensures you do not pay any fees if the case is unsuccessful.

A 100% compensation guarantee means you keep all the money awarded to you in the claim. You are the one who suffered, and you deserve every penny for the damages from the negligence

Medical Negligence Team operates a No Win No Fee policy and a 100% Compensation Guarantee on all medical negligence cases.

Begin your incorrect dosage claim today

Contact us at Medical Negligence Team when you suffer an incorrect dosage medication error. Our team of legal and medical experts will guide you along every step of the compensation claim. We only operate on a No Win No Fee basis and have a 100% Compensation Guarantee scheme for all cases.

Contact us today for all your medical negligence needs.

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