The Incident
Our client, a 52-year-old foster carer from Kent, had been managing her rheumatoid arthritis with the help of Methotrexate. Prescribed a weekly dosage of 20mg, she collected her medication as normal from her local pharmacy, a trusted place where she had gone many times before.
However, a critical pharmacy error occurred. The pharmacy misprinted the label on the prescription, instructing her to take 20mg per day, not per week. Trusting the professional advice provided, she followed the instructions exactly, inadvertently taking a dangerous overdose every single day.
This simple mistake would go on to cause catastrophic physical and emotional consequences.
The Impact
Soon after starting the incorrect dosage, our client began experiencing intense and frightening symptoms. She suffered a significant acute liver injury, requiring emergency hospital admission. The overdose left her severely unwell.
She developed painful blisters on her hands and internally, leaving her unable to urinate without pain for weeks. Even more distressing were the mouth and throat ulcers, which made eating and drinking nearly impossible. For more than a week, she couldn’t eat at all, and when she could, it was limited to soft foods for months. The pain and inability to eat resulted in her losing two stone in weight.
Our client was admitted to hospital for six days, then again two days later for further treatment. Her condition was critical, she was suffering from neutropenia, had a high temperature and heart rate, was struggling to speak, and had sores and bleeding in intimate areas. She was in severe pain, unable to eat, and unable to function normally.
In hospital, she received IV fluids, antibiotics, antifungal treatment, and injections to support her immune system. But the trauma did not end there.
Long-Term Effects
One month after the overdose, her hair began falling out. Within five months, she had lost nearly all of it. This caused significant emotional distress, leaving her feeling vulnerable and embarrassed. Although her hair eventually regrew, it returned completely grey, wiry, and unrecognisable from the soft brown hair she once had. For months, she wore a hat to cover it, and even now dyes her hair every six weeks to feel more like herself.
She was also left with scarring inside her mouth, permanent skin changes to her hands, and a flare-up of her arthritis that lasted nearly 20 months due to the lack of appropriate medication. The overdose had stripped her of control over her health and her day-to-day life.
Psychologically, she was devastated. She developed depression and anxiety, recorded in her medical records, and required medication such as Tramadol to manage her pain. She was also unable to perform her foster care duties for several months, something that brought her immense guilt, as she had dedicated her life to caring for vulnerable children.
Pursuing Justice
Knowing that the error had turned her life upside down, she contacted Patient Claim Line for support. Her claim was handled by Senior Litigation Executive Michael, who guided her with compassion and determination. He worked tirelessly to gather the medical evidence needed to prove the pharmacy’s error and highlight the extent of her suffering.
The Outcome
Despite the devastating impact the mistake had on her life, our client was able to move forward once justice was achieved. Michael successfully negotiated a £29,000 settlement on her behalf.
She shared:
“I’m really happy that the claim came to a successful conclusion. It was a huge relief, it had been hanging over me for so long.”
This case highlights how a simple error can have life-changing consequences, but with the right legal support, it is possible to secure the justice and compensation that patients deserve.