You put your trust in the hospital. You took the medication they handed you, followed instructions, and believed the system was working as it should. ThenHospital Medical Errors in Maryland something went wrong, and now you wonder if the drug, the dose, or the patient information was correct in the first place.

When a medication mistake causes real harm, patients have legal options. The DMV medical malpractice attorneys at Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum have spent nearly five decades working alongside people harmed by the very institutions that were supposed to care for them. Understanding what happened is the first step toward knowing whether you can take action.

How Do Prescription Errors Happen in Hospitals?

Hospital prescription errors are far more common than most patients realize, accounting for nearly 50% of all medication errors. Hospitals are busy, high-pressure environments where medications pass through multiple hands before reaching a patient. A doctor writes the order, a pharmacist fills it, and a nurse administers it. At any point in that chain, a breakdown can occur, and the consequences can be serious. 

The most common types of prescription errors include:

  • Wrong medication. Staff may dispense the wrong drug when medications have similar spellings or sound alike.  

  • Wrong patient. A drug intended for one patient may be administered to another due to labeling problems or rushed handoffs between shifts.

  • Incorrect dosage. Errors can involve giving too little medication to be effective or a dangerous excess. An FDA study found that improper dosage was the most common error in fatal medication mistakes, accounting for 41% of fatalities reviewed.

  • Dangerous drug interactions. Some drugs are appropriate alone but cause severe or fatal injuries when combined. Thousands of these injuries occur every year despite available tools to prevent them.

  • Missed allergies. Giving patients drugs they are allergic to because staff did not review their history is a preventable failure that can result in anaphylactic shock, organ damage, or death.

  • Mislabeling and inadequate instructions. Even a correctly prescribed medication can cause harm if staff administer it improperly or fail to advise the patient of significant side effects.

What Are the Risks to Patients?

The physical consequences of a prescription error can range from a brief adverse reaction to permanent or life-threatening injuries. Even what seems like a small misstep can result in serious consequences, especially for children, elderly patients, or individuals with chronic conditions. 

Prescription errors also carry a significant financial toll. Over 7 million patients in the United States experience medication errors every year, with medical costs to treat errors occurring in hospitals alone totaling at least $3.5 billion. 

Who Can Be Held Responsible?

Prescription errors do not always trace back to a single person. In a hospital setting, the path a medication takes from order to administration often involves physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and hospital systems alike. Here is a breakdown of where liability commonly arises:

  • Prescribing physician. A doctor who orders the wrong drug, fails to review the patient's allergy history, or prescribes a dosage unsupported by the patient's condition may be liable for the resulting harm.

  • Dispensing pharmacist. A pharmacist who fills a prescription with the wrong medication or incorrect dosage, or who fails to flag a dangerous drug interaction, may share in the responsibility.

  • Administering nurse. If a nurse delivers a medication without verifying the patient's identity, the dosage, or the route of administration, that failure can constitute a breach of the duty of care.

  • Hospital. Institutional failures—inadequate oversight, defective electronic health record systems, or inadequate staffing protocols—can make the hospital a liable party independent of individual clinician errors.

When Does a Prescription Error Become a Medical Malpractice Claim?

Not every medication mistake rises to the level of a medical malpractice claim. To pursue a case, a patient must show that the error was negligent and caused measurable harm. A valid claim typically requires proving four elements: 

  • The healthcare provider owed a duty of care.

  • The provider breached the accepted standard of care through a mistake or oversight.

  • The error directly caused or worsened the patient's condition.

  • The patient suffered actual losses, including medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Within 90 days of filing a malpractice claim, Maryland law requires submission of a certificate from a qualified medical expert confirming that a breach of care occurred. In most cases, you must file a lawsuit within three years of the injury discovery, but no later than five years after the error. Maryland also limits recovery for non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, in malpractice cases.

What Steps Should You Take After a Medication Error?

If something went wrong with a medication during a hospital stay, the following actions can protect your rights and strengthen any future claim:

  • Seek medical attention right away. Get documentation of the harm you experienced. A clear medical record linking symptoms to a specific medication or dosage is foundational to any malpractice claim.

  • Request and preserve records. Key documents include the prescription or physician's order, pharmacy label, medication administration record, allergy lists, lab results, and discharge paperwork. Keep originals or certified copies of everything.

  • Write down what happened. Record dates, times, names of treating staff, and the sequence of events as clearly as you can. Memory fades quickly, so an early written account carries more evidentiary weight.

  • Consult an attorney before speaking with the hospital's risk management team. Hospitals often move quickly to manage their own liability. Speaking with an attorney first ensures that you understand your rights before any conversations take place.

The DMV medical malpractice attorneys at Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum have decades of experience standing up for patients’ rights. If a hospital prescription error hurt you or someone you love, we can help clarify what happened, determine who may be responsible, and discuss your legal options.