(845) 802-0047One of the most significant advances in modern medicine has been the use of diagnostic imaging. X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, and CT scans can identify injuries and illnesses at the earliest stages. With early detection, many people can receive the medical treatment and intervention they need to make a full recovery.
Unfortunately, doctors and other healthcare practitioners sometimes make mistakes when ordering or reviewing scans. If a radiologist fails to recognize a serious problem on an image, the patient might not be able to take advantage of life-saving treatments.
If you suspect that your doctor made a mistake interpreting your imaging, you might have legal avenues available to you. A Newburgh radiology error lawyer could help you review your rights and discuss your options. Contact a skilled malpractice attorney today.
Common Radiology Mistakes
Doctors today have the advantage of using medical imaging to help them assess their patients’ conditions. However, even with all of the advanced technology, patients still sometimes get sicker or suffer needlessly because of delayed, incorrect, or altogether missed diagnoses.
When a radiologist rushes through a review of an image and misses a serious condition, such as a tumor, the consequences can be life-altering. Similarly, when a primary care physician fails to order appropriate diagnostic imaging, the patient can lose out on the opportunity to receive timely treatment and maximize their best chance of recovery. Some of the more common types of radiological errors include:
- Failing to order the appropriate scans based on the patient’s reported symptoms – doctors should recognize common signs of illness and injury and order imaging to help them confirm the diagnoses
- Reading an abnormal scan as normal – failure to recognize a malignant tumor could lead to a delayed diagnosis
- Reading a normal scan as abnormal – telling a patient that they have a serious illness when they do not can lead to unnecessary medical procedures, wasted time off work, and mental anguish
- Failure to recognize a broken bone
- Failure to recognize an aneurysm
A qualified attorney could help a patient take action and hold the medical professionals who caused unnecessary physical, emotional, and financial pain accountable for their radiology errors. In the unfortunate event that a patient loses their life because of a delayed or missed diagnosis, they could also help their surviving family members pursue justice with a wrongful death claim.
Succeeding in a Diagnostic Error Lawsuit
To succeed in a case involving a radiology mistake, an injured patient would need to prove that their radiologist or other healthcare practitioner committed malpractice. It is critical to work with a local attorney who understands this type of claim.
A patient must establish that they had a patient-doctor relationship with the healthcare provider. The patient would then need to show that the doctor acted negligently. A knowledgeable legal team could help with this by showing that the physician’s actions were inconsistent with how other doctors would have acted.
For example, a Newburgh attorney could produce medical experts willing to testify that a reasonable doctor with similar training and experience would not have made the mistake of overlooking a tumor on diagnostic imaging. The patient would also need to show that they suffered actual harm because of the doctor’s negligence and not just because of the underlying condition that caused them to visit the doctor.
Work with a Newburgh Radiology Error Attorney to Hold Negligent Physicians Accountable
If you believe that a radiologist or other medical professional made a mistake ordering or interpreting your medical scans, you might be eligible to obtain compensation. However, it is not easy to go up against doctors and large hospitals that often have unlimited resources. Having a dedicated Newburgh radiology error lawyer by your side could positively impact the outcome of your case. Call today to learn more.