Thousands of people rely on medical professionals to treat serious physical conditions each day. All medical personnel are placed in a position of trust. Mistakes that are made by a medical professional in the course of your care can serve as grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit.
While most people think about a family doctor or surgeon when it comes to medical malpractice, radiologists are just as culpable in these types of lawsuits.
Perception Errors
Radiologists play an important role in the treatment of serious physical conditions. Many injuries and diseases are identified through the use of imaging technologies. A radiologist is responsible for reviewing the images produced by an MRI machine, X-ray machine, or another imaging device.
The accurate interpretation of these images is crucial to your treatment. Perception errors made by the radiologist may cause an injury or disease to go unnoticed for a long period of time. This compromises your ability to receive timely treatment.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the radiologist who misread your medical images can give you access to financial compensation for any undue pain, suffering, and medical expenses you incurred as a result of the late diagnosis.
Communication Errors
Communication skills are critical for a radiologist. Once your medical images have been reviewed, a radiologist must compile a report that outlines his or her findings for your primary doctor or surgeon.
Decisions pertaining to the direction of your medical care will be made based on the information that is contained within the radiologist's report. This means that any communication errors made by your radiologist could have lasting consequences.
You may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against your radiologist if a written mistake confuses your diagnosis and results in additional pain and suffering. It is also possible for a radiologist to inadvertently leave out critical information in his or her report. These omissions can serve as grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.
It takes a team of medical professionals to accurately diagnose and treat an injury or illness. A radiologist serves as an integral part of this team. You should consult with a personal injury attorney if you discover an error made by your radiologist has compromised the quality of your medical care.
A medical malpractice lawsuit can give you access to significant financial compensation that will help cover the costs of additional medical care needed as a result of a radiologist's mistake. Contact local personal injury attorneys today to learn more.