Impact of Radiology Errors in Medical Malpractice

Radiology errors can lead to serious harm to the patient. Has your radiologist committed any negligent behavior?

Radiologists can cause injury to a patient when they fail to do their job correctly. The patient or their families can file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the medical professional if they believe their negligence resulted in a patient suffering an injury or death. Below is a look into what radiologists are responsible for and the consequences of radiology errors on patient care. If you feel that you or a loved one was a victim of medical malpractice, contact the lawyers at the Law Offices of Cardaro & Peek today.

Even if you have been to the hospital multiple times, you may not be familiar with radiologists.   Radiologists are medical professionals who specialize in radiology, which is the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease through medical imaging (e.g. CT scans, x-rays, MRI scans, sonograms, and ultrasounds). Often, a radiologist never actually interacts with patients, and instead interprets results of tests performed by technicians and then consults with a patient’s primary physician . Nonetheless, they play a vital role in delivering patient care. Like other medical professionals, radiologists must meet the standard of care when treating patients.

Patient care is a collaborative effort. Radiologists must communicate promptly and clearly with other physicians to deliver proper care. When miscommunications occur, the physician or patient may receive the wrong information. Further, they may experience a delay in obtaining the correct information as a result of radiology errors. A common error is when the radiologist issues a preliminary report with normal findings and a full report indicating a possible abnormality. In such a situation, the treating physician may never read the full report. Then, they proceed with treatment based on incorrect information. Some courts have held that this situation requires a radiologist to take affirmative steps. These steps make sure that the treating physician receives the correct information.  

While radiologists are trained to interpret medical imaging, they can still make errors in their interpretation of the images. Consequently, this impacts the diagnosis they make. Misreading of imaging can cause serious harm to a patient. The National Institute of Health found that approximately 40% to 54% of radiology-related malpractice cases are from failure to diagnose. A 2013 study found that breast cancer was the most frequently missed diagnosis, followed by non-spinal fractures, spinal fractures, lung cancer, and vascular disease. When the radiologist makes errors, it can cause a patient to receive incorrect treatment, delayed treatment, no treatment, or aggravate their current condition. 

Do you believe that you or your loved one has suffered as a result of medical malpractice or medical neglect? You need to talk to an experienced team of local lawyers today.

The lawyers at Cardaro & Peek, LLC have the experience and resources necessary to investigate and litigate all types of medical claims throughout Maryland and Washington D.C. Cardaro & Peek, LLC has medical personnel on staff and has access to nationally recognized, board-certified physicians and other experts, to assist in the investigation, analysis, and prosecution of all types of medical malpractice claims. If you or a loved one have experienced malpractice, give us a call at 410-752-6166. Please visit our website www.cardarolaw.com and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn for more information.

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