Modern medical technology allows for doctors to identify and effectively treat dangerous conditions earlier and more effectively than ever before. From ultrasounds and digital x-rays, to MRIs and CT scans, radiology in particular is an essential component of comprehensive healthcare in today’s world. However, that is only if the physicians operating these complex machines do so with appropriate care and skill.

Errors during radiology procedures cause severe and sometimes irreversible harm to hundreds or thousands of patients across New York every year, as seasoned malpractice attorneys are all too aware. If a radiologist’s mistake led to you suffering avoidable medical harm, speaking with a Poughkeepsie radiology error lawyer about options for civil litigation may be instrumental to protecting your future wellbeing.

Possible Consequences of Radiology Mistakes

Fortunately, the machines used during radiology work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities in America are relatively dependable in terms of their ability to provide consistent and useful results. Unfortunately, most radiology errors stem not from a technological malfunction, but from human error. This could be a radiologist failing to notice an abnormality that a scan has picked up or failing to effectively communicate with a physician regarding an abnormality they saw.

A failure to diagnose or to provide proper treatment stemming from a radiology error can have various effects that range in severity. In milder situations, a patient may have to deal with chronic injury or aggravate a physical injury further because their doctor did not identify it appropriately. In more severe scenarios, a radiology error could lead to a serious infection, a warning sign of potential stroke, brain injuries, or even pre-cancerous or cancerous growths going undetected, and therefore untreated.

Importantly, a radiology mistake which does not directly result in physical harm (which then does not produce compensable losses) may not constitute grounds for a settlement demand or lawsuit. A Poughkeepsie radiology error attorney could discuss filing options in more specific detail during a confidential consultation.

Recovering Compensation Within Filing Deadlines

If a person who suffers harm due to a radiology error can establish that the error breached the standard of care for the medical professionals involved, they could demand financial restitution for every financial, physical, and personal loss that the error directly led to, including:

  • Additional medical expenses, including prescription medications and future rehabilitative care
  • Lost ability to work in the short and/or long term
  • Physical pain
  • Emotional/psychological suffering
  • Lost consortium
  • Lost overall quality of life

Even if a radiology error results in permanent and life-altering damage, it is often essential for someone harmed in this way in Poughkeepsie to retain a skilled lawyer and file suit as soon as possible. This is because, with relatively few exceptions, New York Civil Practice Law & Rules § 214-A allows just 30 months—two and a half years—after a medical error occurs for someone impacted by that error to begin pursuing litigation.

Consider Working with a Poughkeepsie Radiology Error Attorney

Errors during radiological screening can have massive repercussions for the patient being screened and their entire families. However, successfully recovering civil compensation for a medical mistake of this nature can be uniquely complicated, particularly if you try to pursue your claim without support from experienced legal counsel.

A Poughkeepsie radiology error lawyer’s assistance could make all the difference in your chances of securing fair recovery for your losses. Call today to learn more.