Medication Error Malpractice Lawyers in Michigan
When a medication error harms you or your child, it isn’t “just a mistake.” It’s a preventable breakdown in safety that can cause life-changing injury or death. At Hoffer & Sheremet, PLC, we investigate what went wrong, hold providers and institutions accountable, and pursue the resources our clients need to heal and move forward.
What Counts As A Medication Error?
A medication error is any preventable event that can lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of a healthcare professional, patient, or consumer. Errors can occur at any step:
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Ordering/prescribing
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Transcribing
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Verifying
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Dispensing
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Compounding
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Administering (including IV, epidural, or PCA pumps)
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Monitoring and follow-up
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Handoff/transition of care
When an error falls below the standard of care and causes harm, it may be medical malpractice.
Common Medication Errors We See
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Wrong patient / wrong drug: patient name confusion; similar names or room numbers.
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Wrong dose / route / frequency: 10-fold pediatric dosing errors; IV vs. IM mix-ups.
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Allergy or interaction ignored: prescribing despite documented allergy, or combining drugs with dangerous interactions (e.g., anticoagulants, QT-prolonging meds).
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Contraindicated in pregnancy or specific conditions: teratogenic or nephrotoxic drugs when safer alternatives exist.
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Look-alike / sound-alike (LASA) substitutions: e.g., hydralazine vs. hydroxyzine.
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Pump programming & titration errors: PCA or insulin infusions incorrectly programmed or monitored.
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Compounding errors: wrong concentration or contamination.
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Failure to stop or adjust after lab changes: renal/hepatic impairment not accounted for; failure to hold anticoagulants before procedures.
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Discharge prescription mistakes: decimal point errors, omitted instructions, or missed reconciliation.
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Neonatal & pediatric dosing: failure to calculate by weight; dosing adult vials for infants.
How Medication Errors Happen (and How We Prove It)
Medication safety is a system, not a single act. We dig into whether the hospital or clinic followed basic safety science:
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Independent double-checks for high-alert meds (insulin, opioids, chemo, heparin).
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Barcode scanning at the bedside and pharmacy.
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Tall-man lettering and separation of LASA drugs.
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Clinical decision support: alerts for allergies, interactions, and duplications.
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Weight-based dosing and dose range checks for children.
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Medication reconciliation at admission, transfer, and discharge.
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Monitoring protocols (vitals, labs, sedation scores) with timely escalation.
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Clear handoffs between ER, floor, OR/PACU, and discharge teams.
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Education and informed consent around risks and alternatives.
We obtain the complete medication timeline (MARs, eMARs, pharmacy logs, pump data, Pyxis/Omnicell reports, order sets, lab trends, vital sign flowsheets, nurse notes, and handoff records) and retain clinical pharmacists, hospitalists, anesthesiologists, neonatologists, and nursing experts to establish the standard of care and causation.
Red Flags That Suggest A Medication Error Occurred
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Sudden drop in blood pressure, respiratory depression, or unresponsiveness after a medication.
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Uncontrolled bleeding while on anticoagulants or after reversal was indicated.
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Seizures, arrhythmias, or cardiac arrest after dose changes or new meds.
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Acute kidney or liver injury without another clear cause.
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Newborn complications after maternal anesthesia/analgesia or neonatal dosing.
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Conflicting meds on the discharge list or instructions that don’t match the bottle.
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A loved one coded and staff can’t clearly explain what medication was given and why.
When Is A Medication Error Malpractice?
In Michigan, a viable malpractice claim generally requires proof of:
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Duty: a provider-patient relationship.
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Breach: care fell below accepted medical/pharmacy/nursing standards.
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Causation: the error more likely than not caused the injury.
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Damages: physical, economic, and human losses.
Medication cases often involve multiple defendants (physician, nurse, pharmacist, hospital) and shared responsibility for system failures.
Important: Michigan has strict pre-suit procedures and deadlines for medical malpractice claims. These include a notice period and other requirements. Timelines can be short, so contact us as early as possible to protect your rights.
Injuries And Losses We Pursue
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Brain injury, anoxic events, stroke, arrhythmia, respiratory failure
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Organ damage (renal/hepatic), internal bleeding, overdose injuries
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Worsened underlying condition due to missed/withheld therapy
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Neonatal and birth-related medication harm
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Economic losses: medical bills, future care, lost income/earning capacity
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Non-economic losses: pain, suffering, loss of enjoyment, loss of consortium
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Wrongful death damages where applicable
Why Choose Hoffer & Sheremet?
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Focused on complex medical cases, including obstetric, neonatal, ER, and medication safety matters.
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Trial-ready: we build every case as if it will be tried.
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Systems approach: we look beyond the chart to find the upstream failure.
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Personal, transparent communication: you’ll always know where your case stands.
Free consultation: (616) 278-0888 • Message us through our secure form.
FAQs: Medication Error Malpractice in Michigan
Is a medication error always malpractice?
No. It must breach the standard of care and cause harm. We evaluate both.
Can the hospital be responsible for a pharmacy or nursing error?
Often, yes. Hospitals are typically responsible for their employees’ negligence and for unsafe systems that enable errors.
What if I signed a consent form?
Consent does not excuse negligence. It also doesn’t permit dosing or monitoring below accepted standards.
How long do I have to file?
Michigan malpractice cases have strict, short deadlines and pre-suit notice requirements. The safest step is to contact us immediately so we can protect your claim.
What if we don’t know exactly what went wrong?
That’s common. We use records, device data, and expert analysis to reconstruct the error.