Syracuse Personal Injury Law Blog
Radiologists use a variety of tests to make it possible to diagnose and treat many medical conditions. Unfortunately, radiology errors can result in serious medical setbacks and, in some cases, can even result in death. If you have suffered due to the negligence of a radiologist, the reputable and hardworking Syracuse radiology malpractice attorneys at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers can assist you. We can examine the facts of your case and help you seek the compensation you need to deal with your harm.
Radiology is the branch of medicine that deals with the use of radioactive tools, such as x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, to diagnose and treat diseases within the body. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the specialty of radiology has a relatively high rate of malpractice claims. Data from the NIH shows that failures to diagnose account for approximately 40 to 54 percent of radiology-related medical malpractice cases. Radiology errors can take many forms, including mistakes made by radiologists, malfunctions of diagnostic equipment, and misinterpretations of radiological results. Examples of radiology errors include:
- Misread x-rays;
- Misread CT or CAT scans;
- Failing to consult a patient’s old radiologic studies or reports;
- Improper imaging techniques;
- Too much radiation;
- Failure to timely view results;
- Delayed or missed diagnosis of a particular condition;
- Reading the wrong patient’s radiology results;
- Failing to make appropriate follow up recommendations; and/or
- Communication errors between medical professionals.
If you have suffered an adverse health consequence due to a radiology error, you can likely hold the radiologist accountable through a medical malpractice claim. In New York, medical malpractice can be proved by establishing that the radiologist failed to operate within the limits of the appropriate standard of care. The standard of care denotes the level of care and caution that a prudent radiologist would have used in the same situation. You should know that it is not sufficient to simply highlight that the radiologist failed to adhere to the appropriate standard of care. Instead, you must also demonstrate that the radiologist’s departure from the standard of care was a proximate cause of your medical injury. For example, a failure to diagnose a fracture in a x-ray, resulting in a patient fracture becoming displaced, would likely constitute malpractice.
Radiology errors can lead to serious and long-term harm. If you have suffered an injury caused by a radiology error, you need to reach out to a skilled Syracuse radiology malpractice attorney who can help. At DeFrancisco & Falgiatano Personal Injury Lawyers, we are committed to protecting your rights and getting you full and fair compensation in your case. You can trust that we will provide you with personalized attention at every step of the way. To set up a free consultation regarding your case, do not hesitate to call us at 833-200-2000 or reach us through our website.
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