Oregon Radiology Medical Malpractice Lawyers - Bend/Portland, OR

Radiologists are not commonly seen directly by most patients, but they are incredibly important in patient care.  In fact, most patients may not even realize that a radiologist reviewed their chart or was involved in the care, treatment, or diagnosis of a condition or injury.  Some medical specialties heavily rely on radiologists to support them, including emergency room physicians and most surgeons.  While most radiologists competently perform their work, some make significant errors which could cause irreversible damage to a patient.  Ask our Oregon radiology medical malpractice lawyers if you have been injured by a radiologist error.

The most common procedures and treatment that radiologists perform on patients are imaging tests which include CT-scans, x-rays, PET scans, MRIs, EKGs, EMGs, and other related tests.  These tests can diagnose a wide-range of conditions, including cancer, strokes, heart attacks, appendicitis, foreign objects, aneurysms, and many other medical emergencies.  Radiologists are responsible for performing the test, interpreting the results, and relying the final radiology impressions to the doctor who requested the test.  This could become more complicated when multiple tests are being performed or when multiple physicians are involved in the patient’s care and treatment.  This is because miscommunication is one of the most common factors plaguing all medical malpractice cases, and it can be particularly devastating with radiology mistakes.

Common Causes Oregon Radiology Medical Malpractice

Radiologists can commit Oregon medical malpractice in many different ways.  Unfortunately, many of these mistakes are due to careless conduct which could be avoided if a radiologist satisfies his or her duty of care.  This is because radiology errors are usually preventable because most errors are due to the fact that a test or image were improperly read, reviewed, and recorded with impressions.  This is something static, or not moving, which means that it could be evaluated by a radiologist without having to rush frantically or control other variables.

The most common Oregon radiology medical malpractice errors include the following:

• Misreading test results or misinterpreting imaging studies;
• Improper performing imaging tests and other tests;
• Failing to take the image to assess the injury such as the wrong angle or medium (i.e. x-ray instead of MRI);
• Misdiagnosing a condition on an x-ray;
• Failing to communicate the results to the ordering physician;
• Miscommunication errors, including with the radiologist and the technicians;
• Inexperience with certain tests or reading certain images; and
• Other common errors.

How Radiology Errors Cause Serious Personal Injuries to Patients

Radiological errors can result in very serious personal injuries to patients.  Some radiology errors can even cause the wrongful death of a patient.  These mistakes are serious and can irreversibly injure a patient.  Some of the most common examples of how radiology errors could cause serious personal injuries to patients include the following:

Abdominal Injuries Misdiagnosed – Appendicitis is a common ailment which needs to be confirmed via an imaging study.  If it is improperly imaged or the results are not properly read by a radiologists, it could result in serious personal injuries or the wrongful death of a patient.  Other abdominal injuries, particularly after serious trauma like a car accident or construction accident, are also vital for assessing damage and stopping internal bleeding.

Brain Injuries – The only way to see inside the skull without cutting into it is through imaging studies.  If a radiologist fails to take the proper images or misinterprets the images, it could result in a catastrophic misdiagnosis which means a patient is not treated for a condition he or she needs immediate care for.

Cancer – Most forms of cancer are confirmed in imaging studies.  When a radiologist fails to properly review and recognize the signs of cancer in a patient, including just failing to identify and diagnose cancer as an impression of an imaging study, it could be serious Oregon medical malpractice.  The longer that the cancer is not diagnosed, the longer that the cancer will continue to grow stronger and become inoperable.   

Bend/Portland, Oregon Radiology Medical Malpractice Lawyers

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

We handle cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, and Hillsboro.  

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  Ask our radiology medical malpractice lawyers for help.

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.