Filing a Claim Against a Radiologist for Radiology Negligence

One of the critical departments in any hospital or doctor’s office is the radiology department, where radiologists perform essential medical imaging and diagnostic tests as requested by physicians. However, even a minor error by a radiologist or negligence during a radiological procedure can lead to severe consequences.

What types of medical imaging or diagnostic tests do radiologists conduct?

When your doctor orders specific medical imaging or diagnostic tests to determine what type of injury or illness you have, it is the responsibility of the radiologist to perform these tests promptly and accurately. Some of the common medical imaging or diagnostic tests that radiologists conduct include:

• X-rays
• Computed tomography (CT) scans
• Mammography
• Ultrasounds
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Nuclear medicine imaging
• Fusion imaging
• Fluoroscopy

If you seek medical attention from a hospital or doctor, you may be sent to a radiologist for tests. It then becomes the radiologist’s responsibility to conduct the tests, read the tests, and identify what type of injury or illness you have.

Examples of radiologist errors and mistakes

A simple mistake or error made by a radiologist can seriously affect your health and quality of life. Here are a few examples of mistakes or errors that radiologists can make:

• Failing to locate or diagnose a certain condition
• Delaying a diagnosis
• Improper performance of tests
• Misdiagnosing
• Missing critical findings on tests

There are several different types of radiologists in Mississippi. For example, one radiologist may locate and diagnose broken and fractured bones, while another radiologist may locate and diagnose serious illnesses, such as cancer, strokes, heart problems, tumors, and more. There are even radiologists who are responsible for providing ultrasounds and monitoring a pregnant mother and her baby throughout the pregnancy. If radiologists fail to locate or diagnose a condition, perform the wrong diagnostic or imaging test, misdiagnose a condition, or even miss an important component, the patient may experience severe or fatal consequences. In addition, if a radiologist and their team does not correctly carry out the test and exercise caution, the patient could be dropped, fall, and suffer additional injuries.

How to establish and prove that a radiologist was negligent

To pursue a medical malpractice claim against a radiologist, you must demonstrate four key elements of negligence:

1. Duty of care: You will first need to show that you and the radiologist had a physician-patient relationship. This means that the radiologist agreed to see and run the requested tests on you. Then, you will need to prove that they had a duty of care to keep you safe during the tests.
2. Breach of duty: Next, you must show proof of the radiologist breaching their duty of care. For example, they may have made a careless mistake, which resulted in your misdiagnosis.
3. Causation: You will need to prove that there is a direct connection between your injuries, condition, or exacerbated condition and the radiologist’s actions or behaviors.
4. Damages: Lastly, you must provide proof that the incident resulted in your damages. This may be medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Evidence is critical to proving that a radiologist was negligent. Some of the types of evidence that may be able to support your claim are medical records, imaging and diagnostic tests, videos, photos, surveillance footage, eyewitness statements, expert witness testimonies, bills and receipts, prescriptions, and more.

At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., our Mississippi medical malpractice lawyers have over 200 years of collective experience assisting clients who have been mistreated, misdiagnosed, or harmed by various types of doctors and medical providers, including radiologists. Therefore, if you believe that you or a family member suffered a serious medical condition due to a radiologist’s actions or inactions, please reach out to our legal team immediately. We will look over your case and determine whether the radiologist made an error or mistake that resulted in injuries or illnesses or caused your medical condition to become worse. With the help and guidance of our attorneys, you can advocate for your rights and potentially secure compensation to cover your current and future losses. Our firm works with top-notch experts to build the best possible cases for our clients. Call our office or submit our contact form today for a free consultation in Jackson, Oxford, Greenville, and Clarksdale.