Medication Errors and Pharmacy Malpractice in Illinois
Mon 16 Feb, 2026 / by Robert Parker / Medical Malpractice
How Medication Errors Lead to Medical Malpractice Claims
Medication errors are one of the most common and preventable forms of medical negligence in the United States. According to research, medication errors harm approximately 1.5 million Americans every year. When a doctor prescribes the wrong medication, a pharmacist fills a prescription incorrectly, or a nurse administers the wrong dose, the results can range from mild adverse reactions to organ damage, permanent disability, or death.
At Parker & Parker Attorneys at Law, we help patients and families in the Peoria area who have been harmed by medication errors pursue the compensation they deserve. These cases require careful investigation to identify exactly where the error occurred and who is responsible.
Types of Medication Errors
Medication errors can occur at every stage of the prescribing, dispensing, and administration process. Prescribing errors happen when a physician orders the wrong drug, the wrong dosage, or fails to account for a patient’s known allergies or existing medications. These errors are particularly dangerous when they involve drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, meaning there is a small margin between an effective dose and a harmful one.
Dispensing errors occur at the pharmacy level, when a pharmacist provides the wrong medication, incorrect strength, or wrong quantity. Look-alike and sound-alike drug names contribute to many dispensing errors. Administration errors happen in hospitals and clinical settings when nurses or other staff give medication by the wrong route, at the wrong time, or to the wrong patient entirely.
Common Causes of Medication Errors
Several systemic factors contribute to medication errors. Illegible handwritten prescriptions, though less common with electronic prescribing, still cause errors. Failure to check for drug interactions is a frequent problem, especially for patients taking multiple medications. Communication breakdowns between healthcare providers—during shift changes, patient transfers, or referrals—can lead to critical medication information being lost or misunderstood.
Understaffing and fatigue in hospitals and pharmacies also increase the risk of errors. When healthcare professionals are overworked, they are more likely to make mistakes during medication verification and administration. Inadequate training and failure to follow established safety protocols round out the most common contributing factors.
Proving a Medication Error Malpractice Claim
To establish a medication error malpractice claim in Illinois, you must prove that the healthcare provider owed you a duty of care, that they breached the applicable standard of care, that the breach caused your injury, and that you suffered actual damages as a result. In medication error cases, this typically involves demonstrating what the correct prescribing, dispensing, or administration practice should have been and how the defendant’s actions fell short.
Expert testimony from physicians, pharmacists, or pharmacologists is usually necessary to establish the standard of care and explain how the error occurred. Medical records, pharmacy records, and medication administration records are critical pieces of evidence that your attorney will need to obtain and review.
Who Can Be Held Liable
Multiple parties may bear responsibility for a medication error. The prescribing physician may be liable for ordering an inappropriate drug or dosage. The pharmacy or pharmacist may be liable for dispensing errors. The hospital or medical facility may be responsible for systemic failures, inadequate staffing, or poor safety protocols. In some cases, pharmaceutical manufacturers may also bear liability if confusing labeling or packaging contributed to the error.
Identifying all potentially responsible parties is important because it maximizes the sources of compensation available to the injured patient. A thorough investigation by an experienced medical malpractice attorney can help uncover the full chain of negligence.
Damages in Medication Error Cases
Victims of medication errors may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses incurred to treat the adverse effects of the error, lost wages and lost earning capacity, pain and suffering, permanent injury or disability, and in the most tragic cases, wrongful death. The severity of damages often depends on the type of medication involved and how quickly the error was identified and corrected.
Take Action If You Were Harmed by a Medication Error
If you believe you or a family member was harmed by a medication error, preserve all medication bottles, packaging, and prescription documents. Request copies of your medical records and pharmacy records. Most importantly, consult with an attorney who has experience handling medication error claims before the statute of limitations expires.
Parker & Parker offers free consultations for medication error cases. Call 309-673-0069 or contact us online to discuss your situation.
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