Radiology Malpractice

Radiologists have important jobs. They interpret scans and images, and if they are attentive, they notice irregularities and report them in a timely fashion. This can result in cancer being caught at an early stage or a hairline fracture being noticed and treated. When a radiologist does their job correctly, a patient's doctor has a better chance of providing appropriate treatment. However, when radiologists are negligent, the outcome can be devastating. If you were harmed by the carelessness of a radiologist, you should consult the Syracuse radiology malpractice lawyers at DeFrancisco & Falgiatano, LLP.

Radiology depends on technology that creates medical images by using radiant energy. Many millions of radiographic procedures are performed each year around the country. Some are interpreted by trained radiologists. X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and mammograms are common types of imaging. Errors in interpreting radiographic images can have very harmful consequences. A radiologist's proper review of the images often is crucial to appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

For example, it is critical to detect cancer early in order to fight it successfully. A mammogram can be used to locate cancer in the body. Sometimes these tests are properly ordered by a doctor, but a radiologist misreads the film, resulting in a delay in the diagnosis. When there has been a delay, the treatment may not have an effect, or the delay may be fatal.

You cannot recover compensation if the outcome would have been the same regardless of what the radiologist did. For example, if your mother's breast cancer had progressed to Stage IV, it is possible that a radiologist's error might not have made a difference. In that case, the jury may not find that the radiologist's malpractice substantially contributed to your mother's death. Conversely, however, there are cases in which a radiologist catching Stage I cancer in time so that an oncologist could treat it appropriately would have likely resulted in the cancer going into remission. In that scenario, a radiology malpractice attorney in the Syracuse area might be able to help you recover damages for a radiologist's failure to read a mammogram or other imaging correctly.

Other radiology errors can include a failure to order the necessary type of follow-up studies, a failure to use available contrast, or a breakdown in communication between the lab and a doctor. In addition to failing to diagnose cancer, the consequences of radiology malpractice could include failing to recognize a brain bleed, failing to recognize bowel obstruction, and other diagnostic errors.

Without a proper diagnosis, a patient cannot be treated effectively. If this improper diagnosis or misdiagnosis results in a worsened medical condition or death, it may be appropriate to sue for radiology malpractice. To successfully bring a lawsuit, your Syracuse radiology malpractice attorney will need to show that the radiologist owed you a duty to abide by the professional duty of care, the radiologist failed to abide by that duty, the radiologist's failure caused you an injury, and you suffered actual injuries and damages.

Another form of radiology malpractice is less common but also harmful. Malpractice can happen if an inappropriately high level of radiation is administered during the imaging process. For example, if an infant is given multiple whole body X-rays when the radiation level was set too high for an infant, and only a simple X-ray of one body part was required, this could result in serious harm to a baby.

If you can successfully establish radiology malpractice, you can recover both economic and noneconomic damages. Economic damages can include medical bills, lost wages, and household services. Noneconomic damages include pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium.

In most cases, radiologists and the facilities that employ them are supported by major insurers and their attorneys. It is important to hire an attorney who is experienced in medical malpractice claims and who works with credible experts. If you are harmed because of radiology malpractice, our law firm may be able to help you recover damages. We also represent injured people in Rochester, Binghamton, Auburn, Elmira, Norwich, Cortland, Delhi, Herkimer, Watertown, Lowville, Oneida, Wampsville, Utica, Canandaigua, Oswego, Cooperstown, Ithaca, Lyons, and all of Upstate New York. Call us at 833-200-2000 or contact us via our online form for a free appointment.