Every day, American doctors write thousands of prescriptions for pharmaceutical drugs and treatments. Men, women, and children rely on this medicine to treat a wide range of short-term and chronic conditions, from sinus infections to back pain to cancer. When a medication error causes a patient to get the wrong medicine, an incorrect dosage, or insufficient information, there can be devastating health consequences. Here is what patients can do to avoid falling victim to this kind of medical malpractice.

Ask Questions
To get the most benefits from your medicine, it’s important to understand how it works. Be sure to ask your doctor the name of the medication and its purpose, and jot down notes about the proper dosage and potential side effects. Always provide all physicians with your medical history and a list of current medications to avoid harmful interactions. Finally, ask if there are any foods, drinks, or activities you should avoid while taking the prescription.

Read All Labels
When you pick up your medicine, double-check the label to make sure that it matches your physician’s notes. If you have any questions at all, do not hesitate to ask the pharmacist, and don’t sign off on any documents until you feel satisfied. Next, read every word of the label very carefully.

Request Documentation
Your last step before leaving the pharmacy should be to take a look at the medicine and request printed information sheets. Many medications today come with both standard labels and smaller pamphlets that both explain how to take the medicine and outline potential side effects. Always inquire further if your medicine looks different from your previous dosage or the pharmacist fails to provide extra instructions.

Patients put their trust in doctors, hospitals, and pharmacists, and medical mistakes made by these trusted professionals can have lifelong effects. If you have suffered a medical injury or were the victim of medical malpractice, contact the Law Office of Pegalis & Erickson in Long Island. Our medical malpractice attorneys offer free consultations, and we speak Spanish, Russian, and Greek. You can reach us by calling (516) 684-2900.

We’re pleased to support RotaCare NY this year through committee and sponsorship of their 20th Annual Caregivers Ball. Do you know RotaCare? They have been providing free health care for people in need through volunteer medical professionals for 20 years. You, too can support their work.  http://caregiversball.karma411.com/

We enjoyed a great round of golf for breast cancer research @NassauWomen ‘sBarFoundation 8th Annual Golf Outing.

Linda M. Oliva, Esq. has been named a 2013 Long Island Top 50 Most Influential Woman in Business. The award honors women professionals for their contributions to the economy and community, and is hosted by L.I. Business News. The Top 50 will be honored at a gala at  the October 17 .

The Bureau of Justice last compiled comprehensive statistics on medical malpractice trials in state courts in 2005. During that year, 2,449 medical malpractice cases were disposed of by trial. Of these, 99% were jury trials, while 1% consisted of bench trials presided over by a judge. In general, medical malpractice trials resulted in high damage awards. In fact, the amount awarded for medical malpractice victims was an average of 17 times more than the overall median award for other kinds of torts. The median award was $400,000.  

Are you interested in learning more about medical malpractice law? Call the Long Island Law Office of Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900 to speak with a lawyer today. You can also visit us at our website to learn more about the medical malpractice services we provide. 

Pegalis and Erickson has settled a case for $2.4 million dollars for a 49-year old Nassau County woman whose medical team failed to diagnose her cerebral aneurysm which resulted in a stroke.

We’re pleased to learn four of our lawyers will be named a 2014 Best Lawyer by U.S. News&World Report. Congrats to Sanford Nagrotsky, Stephen Erickson, Steven Pegalis, and Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard.

We’re playing golf to benefit Breast Cancer research/awareness on Monday! Wishing our foursome led by Robert Fallarino, a great round at the Nassau County Women’s Bar Foundation’s 8th Annual Golf Outing.