What are Medication Errors?
Medication Errors occur when a patient is not given their prescribed medications as ordered - sometimes this means the medication was missed or late, the wrong dose was given, or the wrong medication altogether was administered. Medication errors in long-term care facilities are 100% preventable, but unfortunately, all too common. We have seen serious injuries and deaths result from needless medication errors in facilities but also by in-home providers such as hospice staff and home health nurses.
Common Causes of Medication Errors
Many medication errors can be traced back to understaffing. When staff are spread too thin, this results in rushed medication rounds, late or incomplete charting, high turnover, and reliance on temporary staff who aren’t familiar with the facility’s systems or residents.
Abuse and neglect are not always obvious at first.
Warning signs may include:
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Unexplained injuries, bruises, or fractures
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Repeated falls or injuries the facility cannot clearly explain
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Pressure sores or wounds that worsen over time
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Dehydration, malnutrition, or sudden weight loss
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Poor hygiene, soiled clothing, or unchanged bedding
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Medication errors or missed doses
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Infections or untreated medical concerns
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Sudden changes in mood, behavior, or alertness
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Fearfulness around certain staff members
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Delayed, vague, or inconsistent answers from the facility
Where We Practice
We proudly represent clients throughout California. Elder abuse cases are investigated where they happened, and typically litigated in the courthouse and county where the facility operates. We have deep familiarity with the local systems throughout the state.
Pursuing the justice your loved one deserves
When a facility fails to meet its legal obligations, California law provides a meaningful framework for accountability. The Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act gives victims and their families the right to pursue:
Compensatory damages for actual costs incurred by the harm caused.
Enhanced remedies, including pre-death pain and suffering, attorney's fees, and costs of suit.
Punitive damages that are not available in standard negligence cases. That distinction matters enormously in terms of accountability and case value.