Day Lewis Pharmacy Wrong Medication Claims Guide
When you visit a pharmacy with a prescription to fill, you would expect to receive the medication that your doctor has prescribed to you. But what happens if you suffer harm because of a Day Lewis pharmacy dispensing error? Being given the wrong medication because of negligence by a pharmacy could be dangerous, and if you’ve suffered illness because of this, you could consider making a pharmacy wrong medication claim.
In this guide, we at Legal Expert provide valuable information to those who have suffered harm because of Day Lewis Pharmacy negligence. Included in the sections below is information on what to do if you are dispensed or prescribed the wrong medication, how to check your eligibility for making a wrong medication negligence claim, and how we could help you begin such a claim. You can reach our team on 0800 073 8804 if you have any questions, but we’d encourage you to read the guide in full to see if we have already covered your question below.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Day Lewis Pharmacy Negligence Claims
- What Is Medication Negligence By A Pharmacy?
- Medication Errors Statistics
- Causes Of Prescription Negligence By A Pharmacy
- Types Of Mistakes Which Could Be Made By A Pharmacy
- What Impact Could Wrong Medication Have On People?
- Steps To Take If You Think Your Pharmacist Made A Mistake
- Pharmacy Negligence Wrong Medication Compensation Calculator
- Other Types Of Compensation You Could Claim
- No Win No Fee Pharmacy Negligence And Wrong Medication Claims
- Why Let Us Handle Your Pharmacy Negligence Claim?
- Start Your Day Lewis Pharmacy Negligence Claim
- Essential References
A Guide To Day Lewis Pharmacy Negligence Claims
Day Lewis Pharmacy is a large family-owned firm with a large chain of outlets in the UK and Europe. They offer prescription services, over the counter medication and pharmacist’s advice on various health concerns. Like all pharmacies, the company has a duty of care towards its clients to offer a safe effective service, and part of that service would be the provision of prescription medication. Pharmacists are responsible for making sure this is the case.
But what happens if you suffer harm from a pharmacy wrong medication incident? In this guide, we explore this question and many others concerning pharmacy negligence. Included in the sections below is guidance on what happens if a pharmacist makes a mistake in the UK and you are harmed by their error. Also included is some information about compensation payouts, what they could include and how much you could claim. As well as this, we provide actionable advice on how to get help with checking your eligibility to make a claim for being given the incorrect medicine.
What Is Medication Negligence By A Pharmacy?
Every pharmacy practice has a responsibility to provide a service that is safe and effective. They can make this happen in a number of ways, such as putting in place the relevant checks for dispensing medication, for example. If they are negligent in taking the relevant steps to protect their customers and you are harmed because of this negligence, you could claim compensation for the avoidable harm that you have suffered. There are certain things you would have to prove to make a claim, and these could include:
- The pharmacist owed you a duty of care
- There was a breach of this duty of care
- You suffered harm as a result of this breach
- You are claiming within the relevant personal injury claims time limit for your claim
In respect of the last point, you would usually have 3 years in which to make a claim. The three-year limitation period would begin on the date that you realised that avoidable harm had been caused by the Day Lewis Pharmacy wrong medication incident, which would not necessarily be the same date you were given the wrong medication.
There are some exceptions to this, however. Claiming on behalf of a child would mean you’d have until their eighteenth birthday to claim, whereas they could claim for themselves if you hadn’t already done so – and could have until their twenty-first birthday to do so. If you lacked the physical or mental capacity to make a claim at the time, it may be worth calling our team to see if you could still make a Day Lewis Pharmacy negligence claim too – as an exception could apply.
It would also be prudent for us to point out that not all wrong medication claims are the fault of a pharmacy. If you were prescribed the wrong medication by your GP, for an example, this could be due to medical negligence on their part, so the action you would take could be against the GP instead of the pharmacy.
If, however, you suffered harm because a pharmacist made an error reading a prescription, for example, you could consider checking your eligibility to make a Day Lewis Pharmacy wrong medication claim.
Medication Errors Statistics
According to a study conducted by teams at the Universities of York, Manchester and Sheffield, 237 million mistakes with medication are made each year in the NHS in England. Researchers also estimated that 712 deaths could have occurred because of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). While studies also revealed that ¾ of medication errors would not have been likely to have caused patients to suffer harm.
The researchers conducting the study also looked into the economic effects of this type of error and it was found that cases could cost from £60 from simple inhaler mistakes to £6m+ for compensation damages for anaesthetic mistakes.
Whether you have suffered minor or serious harm by an avoidable medication error, it could be a good idea to see if you could claim compensation for pharmacy negligence.
Causes Of Prescription Negligence By A Pharmacy
Medication errors by pharmacies could be made because of a number of different factors. These could include:
Short-staffed pharmacies – No matter how busy a pharmacy is, the relevant checks should be undertaken when it comes to dispensing and administration. If these are not taken care of, this could be classed as negligence. If such negligence causes you to suffer harm, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
Poor stock monitoring/control/storage – If medicines are not stored correctly and disposed of when out of date, this could lead to pharmacy negligence cases, where a patient may be given out of date/damaged medication.
Computer problems – Sometimes, some pharmacies have automated computer programs for printing medication instructions and more. If these fail, then the relevant checks by the pharmacy before medicines are dispensed or administered should catch such errors. If they fail to do so, this could cause harm to patients if they are given the wrong medication because of this.
Poor training – If a pharmacist is not properly trained in the correct protocols of the pharmacy for the safe administration and dispensing of medicines, this could cause Day Lewis Pharmacy wrong medication incidents.
Whether your medication mistake was made in one of the ways above or by any other act of pharmacy negligence, you could be eligible for compensation if you suffer harm because of it. For advice and support with this, why not call our team?
Types Of Mistakes Which Could Be Made By A Pharmacy
A Day Lewis Pharmacy dispensing error could be made in a number of different ways, including:
Dispensing The Wrong Medication
Dispensing the wrong medication should be avoided by following strict procedures. There should be several points in the dispensing process whereupon the medication should be checked. If these checks do not happen, someone could suffer harm from being given the wrong medication. If these procedures are not followed, then a customer may be given the wrong medication. Checking address details with the customer and checking this against the label on the medication, for example, might be just one of these checks. If this is not done, the patient could end up with the wrong prescription entirely.
Dispensing Incorrect Instructions
The instructions on when to take medication and how to take could be vital in ensuring that the medication has the desired effect. If incorrect instructions are given to patients, they might suffer an overdose, or their medical condition might be undertreated.
Using Ingredients Which Are Damaged
As previously mentioned, it could be vital that medicines are checked upon arrival as to their condition and stored to avoid damage. If a patient is given damaged/out of date ingredients in their medication, it could cause them to suffer harm.
Wrongly Mixing Ingredients Or Prescriptions
Sometimes, more than one ingredient or prescription might be required by the customer. If these are wrongly mixed (in terms of dosages) or mixed with ingredients that could cause a reaction, this could mean that the patient suffers harm.
What Impact Could Wrong Medication Have On People?
There are several ways in which a pharmacy wrong medication incident could affect a patient. These could include:
Underdosing – If a patient has been given instructions to take doses of medication too far apart, or the dose is too small, then their medical condition could be undertreated. This could cause their medical condition to get worse, and this could lead to them suffering for longer, or needing more invasive treatment.
Overdosing – Certain medications, if taken in too high a dose or too close together may cause the patient to suffer serious harm. Overdoses of some medications, including strong painkillers could cause a patient to suffer breathing problems and could even prove fatal.
Drug interactions – If the wrong medication is dispensed, and it reacts with other medication the patient is taking, this could cause a drug interaction.
Allergic reaction – If a Day Lewis Pharmacy dispensing error causes a patient to be given medication they are allergic to, they could have a reaction to this, which could, in some cases, cause severe harm. Some Penicillin allergies, for example, could lead to anaphylactic shock.
Steps To Take If You Think Your Pharmacist Made A Mistake
There are certain steps you might wish to take if you think you have suffered, Day Lewis Pharmacy negligence, in terms of the medication you have been given.
Firstly, you could be wise to seek medical advice if you have taken the wrong medication. Your doctor may need to examine you if this is the case and could offer advice and treatment if it is appropriate for them to do so.
You might also be wise to take photographs of the prescription error, if possible. This could mean taking photos of the prescription as it is written, alongside photographs of the incorrect medicine, or incorrect instructions, for example.
Another good idea could be to write a note of what happened and what symptoms you’ve suffered. In addition to this, you could also try to ensure that you gather witnesses details if anyone saw what happened to you.
It may be a good idea to report the pharmacy if you feel worried that the actions of the pharmacist were negligent. You could report your concerns here.
Whether you are intending on taking action for the negligence you’ve suffered harm from or not, you might be wise to get legal advice. We could offer you a free eligibility check on your wrong prescription claim, to see if it could be worth pursuing.
Pharmacy Negligence Wrong Medication Compensation Calculator
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding personal injury claims usually relates to how much compensation would be appropriate for certain injuries. We know you could look at a personal injury claims calculator to get a very rough guide as to how much your injury could be worth, but we have chosen on this page to provide some information which we have obtained from the Judicial College Guidelines, which relates to specific injuries that could be associated with cases like yours. If you cannot see the injury you’ve received in the table below, then this doesn’t mean you wouldn’t be able to claim for Day Lewis Pharmacy negligence. You could simply call us for an approximation for your specific injury.
| Injury | Guideline Compensation | Further detail |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Toxicosis | £36,060 to £49,270 | Within this bracket would be cases where hospital admission might be required for some weeks. There would likely be pain, which would be serious, as well as fever, diarrhoea, and some vomiting. Long-term, this could lead to the development of IBS, as well as other function issues with bowels. Ability to work could be affected. |
| Serious (short-lived) poisoning | £8,950 to £18,020 | Cases in this bracket could include those where injured parties suffer diarrhoea and vomiting between two and four weeks. There could be issues with the enjoyment of food, the injured party’s sex life, and bowel function for some time afterwards. |
| Less severe poisoning | £3,710 to £8,950 | Serious levels of discomfort, with cramping, fatigue, bowel discomfort and other symptoms. Hospitalisation could be required for a few days. Full recovery would likely occur between one and two years. |
| Poisoning | £860 to £3,710 | Where the injured party has suffered some days/weeks of pain, diarrhoea and cramping. |
| Damage to kidney | Up to £60,050 | Natural function loss could occur, and there could be a high risk of injured parties sustaining infections in the future. This bracket is set quite high due to the fact that such injuries could result in high costs in terms of medical care. |
| Bowel damage | £41,850 to £65,440 | Injuries leading to impairment of function, as well as the ability of the injured party to work and limitation of what food they can eat. |
It would be prudent for us to highlight, however, that your Day Lewis Pharmacy wrong medication claim wouldn’t be valued until you’d undergone a medical assessment. This would have to be with an independent medical expert, and they would need to speak with you and examine you/your notes to then write a medical report based on their findings. This report is what would be used to value your prescription error claim.
Other Types Of Compensation You Could Claim
The above section covered general damages, which are the payouts which are meant to compensate you for the suffering and the pain you have borne because of the dispensing error, but you could also include special damages within your claim too. These relate to the costs and the losses you have experienced as a direct result of your injuries. They could include, but aren’t limited to:
Loss of earnings – Both actual and projected loss of earnings could be included within your wrong medication claim. If you have had to take time off work or are expected to need time off work in future, you may be paid less than usual, whether this is Statutory Sick Pay or another amount detailed in your employment contract. These wage losses could form part of your claim.
Care expenses – If you have needed to have someone help you with day-to-day tasks, such as dressing, washing etc while you recovered, then these costs could also be included as special damages.
Medical/Travel costs – Travel and medical costs could also be classed as special damages if they have arisen as a direct consequence of your injuries.
No Win No Fee Pharmacy Negligence And Wrong Medication Claims
Claiming compensation could be easier if you have a personal injury solicitor to help you. Not only could such a solicitor help build your case for you, but they could also help to advise you on whether any offers of compensation could be appropriate for your wrong medication case, or whether you could try and fight for a higher payout. Retaining the services of such a solicitor doesn’t have to mean you having to pay for their services upfront, however. There are some personal injury lawyers that could take on your case on a No Win No Fee basis. What this means is that you will sign a document at the beginning of your case, called a Conditional Fee Agreement. This agreement document will set out the conditions under which your personal injury lawyer will be paid for their services. A solicitor working in this manner will usually ask for a percentage of your total compensation as a success fee. This can’t be more than 25% of your compensation, however, as there is a government cap in place to prevent this from happening. Once the lawyer successfully gets you a compensation settlement, success fee would be deducted from this, with the rest of the payout going to benefit you. If you have a valid medical negligence claim but your lawyer cannot get you compensation, then the success fee we mentioned would not be payable.
We understand you might have questions about No Win No Fee claims, and we’re here to help, so please do feel free to get in touch if you would like any more information on how claims of this type work.
Why Let Us Handle Your Pharmacy Negligence Claim?
There are lots of other companies in the UK that offer similar services to ours. However, we think you could be making a good choice by opting to work with Legal Expert on your claim. This is because:
- We have the experience required to give you the information you are looking for. If you call us with a question about making a personal injury claim, we would be able to answer your query.
- Our advice is free. We do not charge for helpline advice.
- Our advice comes with no obligation to use our services.
- Our helpline advisors are knowledgeable, friendly and professional at all times.
- We could offer a free eligibility check for your claim.
- We could connect you with a personal injury lawyer who works on a No Win No Fee basis to help launch your claim.
- We have lots of great reviews from former clients – a testament to our great service.
We have helped lots of people in similar situations to yours claim compensation for their injuries. Why not let us add you to our list of happy clients?
Start Your Day Lewis Pharmacy Negligence Claim
Whether you’re ready to begin your Day Lewis Pharmacy wrong medication claim, or you’re looking for more advice, we’ve made it easy for you to get in touch with us in a manner that suits you. You can talk to our advisors right away on 0800 073 8804, email info@legalexpert.co.uk, or, you can use the live chat feature or contact form on our site to get in touch. With no charge for advice and no-obligation to use our services, why not get in touch today for guidance and support you can trust?
Essential References
Medical Negligence Fatalities – Unfortunately, sometimes, medical negligence could result in a person’s death. If you are considering claiming compensation on behalf of a loved one, this guide could be of use.
Pharmacy Negligence – Our general guide covering harm that could be caused by an error by a pharmacy can be found here.
Prescription Error Case Study – Here, you can read about an incident where a payout was achieved for a GP prescription error.
Pharmacy Regulation Website – To find out more about pharmacy rules, you can view the Pharmacy Regulation website.
The NHS’s Response To Prescription Error Reports – The General Medical Council’s report on prescription error garnered lots of media scrutiny. This is the NHS response.
