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To provide effective care, doctors must keep themselves informed of their patients’ medical history, including known allergies. When prescribing medicine, doctors must take allergies into account, and they should potentially check for unknown allergies, too. When patients experience painful allergic reactions because their negligent doctors failed to do so, the doctors may be held responsible.
You might have a strong legal claim if you suffered an allergic reaction to prescription medicine. While side effects are normal parts of prescribing medicine, doctors must be careful about allergies. If your doctor did not bother to check your medical history, ask about allergies, or test for common allergies, they might have been negligent.
For a free, confidential case assessment, call The Queenan Law Firm’s lawyers for allergic reactions to medication at (817) 476-1797.
Legal Claims for Injuries from Medication Allergies in Plano
We often have a hard time placing blame for something like an allergic reaction. They often happen suddenly and can be hard to predict. They are also medical conditions that are beyond our control. While we might not be able to hold someone responsible simply because you have an allergy, someone might be responsible for negligently causing your severe allergic reaction.
Our attorneys for allergic reactions to medication must perform a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for your injuries. Parties worth investigating include your doctor, the pharmaceutical company, and the pharmacy that filled your prescription.
Your doctor should know about your allergies or at least ask about past allergic reactions to medication. The pharmaceutical company must produce medicine that is safe and list all ingredients and allergens in the medication. The pharmacy must fill prescriptions correctly. Failing to do any of these could cause a patient to take medication they are allergic to.
Injuries may vary depending on your allergic reaction. Patients might experience skin irritations, find their airways constricted, become extremely ill, or face other medical complications. Allergic reactions vary greatly, and your injuries should be treated and evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible.
Damages in Plano Cases of Medication Allergies
Allergic reactions can be painful, frightening experiences. Some reactions are so severe that serious, long-term medical complications result. Allergic reactions may even be fatal if patients do not receive treatment quickly enough.
Even if you fully recover from the allergic reaction to your prescription medication, you may be entitled to fair compensation.
Medical Expenses
A big part of your damages may be medical bills. Allergic reactions to medication can cause symptoms ranging from skin irritation to painful swelling to anaphylaxis. Treatment must be rendered quickly, or else the symptoms might worsen and cause long-term or permanent complications. In severe cases, people can die from allergic reactions if they are not immediately rushed to a hospital.
Ambulance rides, epinephrine shots, and aggressive respiratory treatment like intubation may be necessary. While these treatments can be lifesaving, they are also very expensive.
Lost Income
Severe reactions do not simply disappear at the hospital. Painful skin reactions might linger for days, weeks, or longer. Respiratory problems might persist for weeks. Your allergic reaction might leave you feeling weak and fatigued, and returning to work might not be an option for some time. Your lost income should be claimed among your damages.
Physical Pain and Mental Distress
Swelling, skin irritation, muscle spasms, and constricted airways are painful experiences. Many people experiencing severe allergic reactions are in fear for their lives. The ordeal may also leave deep mental scars to the point that the idea of taking medication again might induce panic.
If the reaction was nearly fatal, survivors might live with significant emotional turmoil, all of which can lead to damages for physical pain and mental distress.
How to Prove Injuries from Allergic Reactions to Medication
If you have had allergic reactions to medication before, that information should be in your medical history. Before your doctor prescribes anything, they should ask you about allergies and check your medical records. A doctor may be negligent if they did not check your records or ask you directly about possible allergies to medication.
Details about the medication can help us prove that your reaction directly resulted from the medication. Pharmaceutical companies must disclose the ingredients in medication, including allergens.
If we know you are allergic to a specific allergen, and we find that allergen is present in your medication, we can prove that the medication was the direct cause of your reaction. This may be important if the defendant argues that something else could have caused your allergic reaction.
If there was a mistake at the pharmacy when your prescription was filled, their records may reveal what went wrong. For example, if you were given the wrong medicine, the pharmacy’s inventory records might reveal this.
When to Seek Legal Help After an Allergic Reaction to Medicine in Plano
If you experience an allergic reaction to medication prescribed by a doctor, you should consult with an attorney about possible legal claims right away. Your time to file a claim is limited, and your lawyer needs time to prepare your case.
According to Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 74.251(a), medical malpractice claims for allergic reactions caused by medication must be filed within 2 years of your injuries. This is not necessarily the day they were prescribed the medication or even the same day they took the medication. Reactions are not always quick, and you might have reacted some time after receiving your prescription.
Under subsection (b) of this law, there is also a 10-year statute of repose. If the limitation period is tolled for any reason, it cannot be extended beyond 10 years.
Contact Our Plano Lawyers for Allergic Reactions to Medication For Help Getting Compensation
For a free, confidential case assessment, call The Queenan Law Firm’s lawyers for allergic reactions to medication at (817) 476-1797.