Suffering with a mental illness can be a difficult and all-consuming experience. Learning to live with a disorder is frustrating on its own, but the trail period as doctors try to find the best medication can be just as or more frustrating because of the constant up-and-down emotions the medicine can cause, as well as the different side effects. That is why it is important that, once the proper medication is found, patients are consistent with their medication and that they stay on the same page as their psychiatrist. It is equally important that their other doctors know what medication patients are on because the result of changing a patient’s medication can be drastic.

This was the case with one California patient. Her doctors failed to communicate with doctors in another state, and ended up giving her considerably more medication than her body and mind could handle. This mistake caused damage to her brain and took months to recuperate.  This California medical malpractice case caused serious damage to the patient’s life and health.

For these cases, patients should pursue legal action to protect their own life and health, as well as to keep other patients from becoming victim to the same mistakes. To help prevent these malpractice cases from happening, patients should be familiar with their medical history and should not be afraid to correct their doctor. However, many of the mistakes doctors make are caused inefficient communication between institutions, and because doctors are overworked and tired. New systems of sharing patient information will be crucial to correcting some errors, as will better work hours and regulations for all medical professionals