Bootleg humanitarianism is a plague that trial lawyers count on in persuading jurors to award outrageous damages.
Oh I am sure the lawyer only gets about 40%, then the family has to pay taxes of 50%. They might see 15-20% if they are lucky of the amount they are rewarded.
That award is over 700 years of income for the average Floridian. And we wonder why everything related to healthcare is so expensive.
“A 19-year-old pharmacy technician, with little training, misfiled the prescription, according to court documents.”
Too many “mis” words nowadays, I guess; the word above should be misfilled, not misfiled.
A search showed that only this version had the AP report with the misspelled word.
I’m all for those paying for their misconduct or negligence. But to make people like John Edwards wealthy beyond their dreams is inexcusable.
As long as we have the number of ambulance chasing attorney’s we do, who also give honest attorney’s a bad name, we will continue seeing outrageous setlements that end up costing all of us.
I understand that the winner pays income tax on the gross amount of the award, then pays the attorney their agreed upon amount of 1/3rd or more on the gross amount of the award prior to taxes, and the winner gets the rest. Any attorneys out there that can shed light on this?
I don’t believe that was allowed through, the pharmacy I worked at was scared senseless of warfarin sodium 1mg and 10mg. Either of those got extra scrutiny.
I don't understand the role of the 'pharmacy technician'. Other than filling Rx at a cut rate salary.
If we don't need trained pharmacists to fill prescriptions why have them at all?
Any trained pharmacist would have caught this mistake.
That said, I think the award is over the top.
If it stops Walgreen’s from putting UNQUALFIED 19 YEAR OLD PHARMACY “TECH”s in charge of prescriptions, then its worth it.
Warfarin, of course, does not treat breast cancer.
"Beth Hippely died unnecessarily because this tenfold overdose with Warfarin by the pharmacy she trusted caused her cancer to come back with a vengeance..."
Absurd.
Walgreens screwed up 2 scripts with me over the years...this is as serious as it gets. My father had a massive stroke at 37 and was paralyzed on his right side and lost his speech...so my mother always had to check his scripts and sure enough one night it was the wrong heart medicine in his bottle he was about to take.
It was purchased at Walgreens.
Oh and I might add..the stores were in South Florida...this store in question in the article is also in Florida.
Warfarin, of course, does not treat breast cancer.
"Beth Hippely died unnecessarily because this tenfold overdose with Warfarin by the pharmacy she trusted caused her cancer to come back with a vengeance..."
Absurd.
It will not be 40%.
The Florida Bar has a formula for all judgments over two million. Lawyers are obligated to follow those guideline absent a judicial petition due to special needs.
Just off the cuff I think it will be less than 20% when all is said and done.
I can see awarding the family in this case, but $25.8 million? That seems excessive.
I'd like to know more; the mistake was egregious, but I am suspicious that the prescription error was wholly responsible.
Loss of money is the only thing that will teach them. Otherwise when they kill or maim someone because of their stupidity, they would only make a "heartfelt" apology then quickly get away from the people they harmed with no real accountability.
I have worked for copmanies that shortcut on design and testing to rush software into production. And you know what they fear the most if the customer data is compromised or people harmed?? Loss of money and loss of public face. they no longer do the thing right because its the right thing to do. Its a dollar decision all the way.
So I don't care how much the lawyers are getting its not even the point.
When companies are irresponsible they should pay through the nose. It is a poor substitute for morality and ethics though.
Walgreens deserves to pay but the award is way too high.
God, why don’t they ever have screw ups like this for me with pain meds? lol