Prescription for Disaster: Lawsuits Involving Misused Medications and Vaccines
Prescription errors kill animals every year. So do vaccine mistakes, missed boosters, and improperly stored drugs. Yet veterinary clinics rarely face consequences, and pet owners are often left grieving without answers or legal action.
At LAW, we are building cases where medications were mishandled, overdosed, or never administered at all. And in every single one, the harm was preventable.
Common medication-related errors in vet clinics:
Overdosing or underdosing, especially with insulin, steroids, or antibiotics
Prescribing medications for the wrong species (e.g. dog meds given to a cat)
Failure to check for known drug allergies or contraindications
Improper vaccine handling, such as using expired doses or failing to refrigerate properly
Administering multiple sedatives without monitoring vitals
Wrong animal, wrong file, techs giving meds to the wrong patient
Negligent follow-up, leading to worsening conditions or death
Why this is legally complex:
Most states treats animals as property.
You must prove both causation (that the error caused the harm) and standard of care failure.
Many cases require an expert vet to provide an affidavit or opinion to move forward.
Clinics are often heavily insured and will not admit fault without pressure.
The cost of litigation can outweigh the financial “value” of the animal under current law.
How we build these cases:
Obtain full veterinary records, including medication logs, vaccine batch numbers, and treatment notes
Gather statements from any staff or techs who may have witnessed the error
Secure necropsy results if the animal died and the cause of death is in question
Work with a board-certified veterinarian to analyze what happened
Demand internal protocols for handling controlled substances or vaccine storage
What we often find:
Clinics that cut corners on medication management to save time or money
Sloppy documentation that makes accountability almost impossible
Over-reliance on vet techs without adequate supervision
Repeat offenders who have faced previous complaints but no penalties
At LAW, we don’t accept “mistakes happen” as a defense when an animal suffers or dies. If your pet was harmed due to a prescription or vaccine error, you have options. We can help you get answers and sometimes, justice.