Medication Errors in Oklahoma City
When the Cure Becomes the Cause of Catastrophic Harm
Prescription medications are meant to heal, stabilize, and save lives. But when a healthcare provider prescribes the wrong drug—or the wrong dose—or fails to recognize a critical allergy or interaction, the results can be devastating. What should have helped ends up causing irreversible injury—or death.
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we represent patients and families in Oklahoma City who have suffered catastrophic harm due to preventable medication errors. These are not unfortunate accidents. These are violations of professional duty—errors that happen when providers cut corners, ignore protocols, or fail to listen to their patients.
The Scope of the Problem: A Crisis Hidden in Plain Sight
According to the FDA, medication errors harm over 1.3 million Americans each year. Yet few people realize how common these errors are—or how easily they could be avoided.
In hospitals, emergency rooms, pharmacies, and nursing homes across Oklahoma, we’ve seen medication errors like:
Wrong medication administered entirely
Incorrect dosage given—often leading to overdose or under-treatment
Critical drug interactions ignored
Failure to adjust dosage for age, weight, kidney function, or liver function
Known drug allergies overlooked or dismissed
Labeling or packaging confusion between similar drug names
These errors often occur in the very moments when patients are most vulnerable—undergoing surgery, recovering from trauma, or being treated in a high-pressure hospital environment. But they also occur in outpatient settings, where patients are sent home with prescriptions they don’t fully understand or that were filled incorrectly.
Real Lives. Real Consequences.
We’ve represented families whose loved ones:
Suffered cardiac arrest after being given a contraindicated medication
Went into anaphylactic shock because a known allergy wasn’t recorded or checked
Experienced permanent organ damage from a miscalculated dose
Lapsed into coma or died after being given the wrong medication
Lost cognitive function due to medication-induced hypoxia or seizures
Were given medications meant for another patient entirely
The result is often a completely avoidable tragedy that leaves families asking: How could this happen? And the answer is rarely satisfying—unless someone demands a full investigation.
The Many Points Where the System Can Fail
What makes medication error cases so complex—and so frustrating—is that the mistake can occur at any stage in the process:
Prescribing: A physician chooses the wrong drug, or the right drug in the wrong amount.
Transcription: Orders are entered incorrectly into electronic medical records or pharmacy systems.
Dispensing: A pharmacist mislabels or confuses medications with similar names.
Administration: A nurse administers the wrong medication or gives it at the wrong time or route.
Monitoring: Side effects or complications aren’t identified, tracked, or responded to.
In each of these steps, there are supposed to be checks and safeguards. When they fail, the results can be deadly.
Why These Cases Are Often Covered Up—or Blamed on the Patient
Too often, hospitals try to dismiss these cases with explanations like:
“The side effect was known.”
“The patient didn’t take it correctly.”
“Sometimes this just happens.”
But when we dig into the records, the truth emerges:
The nurse misread the label.
The doctor failed to check renal function.
The pharmacist filled the wrong script.
The medication history wasn’t updated.
The electronic chart flagged a contraindication—and no one responded.
That’s not a side effect. That’s negligence.
How We Build and Win These Cases
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we’ve built our reputation by taking on some of the hardest, most technical medical malpractice cases in the country—including those involving medication errors that other firms won’t touch.
Here’s how we do it:
We hire independent clinical pharmacologists, nurses, and medical specialists to review every detail of your care.
We reconstruct the decision-making timeline from prescription to administration.
We analyze EMR logs, communication failures, and internal hospital protocols.
We prepare for trial from day one—because we expect resistance from hospitals and insurers.
We pursue these cases not just for justice—but for change. Because no family should suffer simply because a provider was rushed, overworked, or careless.
What Compensation Can Do for You
When a medication error results in permanent injury or death, the road ahead is long. Recovery—if possible—can require:
Ongoing hospitalization and long-term care
In-home medical equipment
Cognitive or neurological rehabilitation
Lost income and loss of future earning potential
Support for children, dependents, or surviving spouses
A successful malpractice case can’t undo the damage. But it can give your family the resources, answers, and justice needed to move forward.
Why Oklahoma City Families Choose Us
We’re not a high-volume law firm. We don’t handle minor injury cases. Our work is focused solely on catastrophic, life-changing medical malpractice—because that’s where our advocacy can make the greatest impact.
Clients choose Van Wey, Metzler & Williams because:
We take fewer cases, so we can take them more seriously
We work with the most trusted experts in medicine and pharmacology
We pursue cases with a combination of compassion and ferocity
We are nationally recognized for our relentless fight for accountability
Founder Kay Van Wey has helped reshape the conversation around patient safety. Her work has exposed dangerous systems and brought justice to families across the country. She leads our team with passion, vision, and a tireless belief in reform.
You Suspect a Medication Error. What Now?
If you or someone you love suffered a serious reaction, permanent injury, or death following medication—especially during or after hospitalization—don’t accept silence. You deserve answers.
We can help you find them.
You won’t pay us anything unless we win. Your consultation is 100% confidential and designed to give you clarity, not pressure.
