Chicago Radiology Malpractice Lawyer
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- Why Choose Chicago Radiology Malpractice Attorneys at Levin & Perconti?
- What Is Radiology Malpractice?
- Common Radiology Malpractice Errors
- How Common Are Radiology Errors?
- How Can a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Attorney Help?
- Who Is Liable for Radiology Malpractice?
- Damages You Can Recover in a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Lawsuit
- When Should I Contact a Radiology Malpractice Lawyer in Chicago?
- Contact a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Lawyer Today
Doctors rely on imaging tests to diagnose medical conditions and guide treatment. An inaccurate test result can lead to a wrong diagnosis. You could receive unnecessary treatment or miss out on the treatment you need. Doctors often rely on radiologists to assist with curative surgical procedures. Radiology mistakes during surgery can cause life-threatening injuries.
If a negligent radiologist has harmed you or your loved one, you may be eligible to recover substantial compensation. Our Chicago radiology malpractice attorneys at Levin & Perconti can help you pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit. Call us today at (312) 332-2872 for a free case review.
Why Choose Chicago Radiology Malpractice Attorneys at Levin & Perconti?
Our attorneys have more than 400 years of combined experience helping victims of medical malpractice recover significant financial compensation. When a negligent health care provider has injured you, you need a law firm with significant financial resources and attorneys who understand complex medical issues.
Firm co-founder John J. Perconti has extensive experience in state and federal courts and an in-depth understanding of medical conditions. He is a national leader in medical malpractice claims. He has helped numerous clients win millions in medical malpractice compensation.
Radiologists are typically covered by powerful insurance carriers with vast resources and superior medical knowledge. They use their wealth to fight medical malpractice victims rather than compensate them. When you choose Levin & Perconti, you can count on us to invest every dollar needed to successfully litigate your claim.
We have won numerous record-setting verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases, and our case results regularly make the headlines. Our reputation for winning provides powerful leverage in medical malpractice claims. Most medical malpractice insurers recognize our success and know we won’t settle for less than fair compensation, helping us to maximize your settlement.
Our Radiology Malpractice Case Results
Since our founding in 1992, we have obtained more than $2 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients. Our radiology malpractice case results include the following highlights:
What Our Clients Say
We have received hundreds of unsolicited client testimonials from our thousands of satisfied medical malpractice clients, including the following:
What Is Radiology Malpractice?
Radiology malpractice occurs when a radiologist fails to act as a reasonably prudent radiologist would based on the circumstances and available information. Our Chicago medical malpractice lawyers have successfully handled numerous claims against negligent radiologists, including claims involving the following types of imaging tests:
- X-rays
- MRIs
- CT scans
- PET scans
- Ultrasounds
- Mammograms
- Angiograms
- Surgical procedures that required radiological imaging
Common Radiology Malpractice Errors
A study published in the medical journal Radiology found that diagnostic errors are the most common type of radiological error. The most common site of diagnostic errors was breast tissue. Radiologists often miss cancer in the following locations:
- Lymph nodes
- Abdominal and pelvic cavities
- Bones
- Abdomen
- Pelvis
Radiologists also fail to see bone fractures, pulmonary nodules, and pulmonary embolisms in too many cases.
Radiology is categorized as diagnostic or interventional. Diagnostic radiology uses imaging tests to diagnose conditions. Interventional radiology uses imaging during surgical procedures, such as biopsies, angioplasties, port placement, and feeding tube placement.
Diagnostic radiology errors can allow curable conditions to progress until they become terminal. Our cancer misdiagnosis attorneys have seen tragic cases of radiologists missing cancerous tumors. Missing a cancer tumor prevents patients from receiving early treatment, allowing cancer to progress until it becomes terminal and kills the patient.
The most common injuries from interventional radiology errors are vascular injuries. Vascular injuries affect the blood vessels and can lead to life-threatening complications, including blood clots and excessive blood loss.
The types of mistakes that lead to radiology errors include the following:
- Perception errors
- Cognitive errors
- Communication errors
- Medication errors
- General negligence
Perception Errors
A perception error occurs when a radiologist fails to see or recognize a pathological lesion that is present on an imaging test. Perception errors account for 60 to 80 percent of diagnostic radiology errors. Approximately 22 percent of radiology errors occur because a radiologist fails to spend adequate time reading the image.
Radiologists often make perception errors when the lesion is small, in an unusual position, or in an area outside of the scan. In many cases, the radiologist correctly identifies one pathological lesion and stops looking, missing additional lesions.
Some perception errors occur because a hospital or doctor’s office uses outdated equipment that creates low-quality images. Improper scan protocols, such as poor patient positioning, can also reduce image quality.
Cognitive Errors
Cognitive radiology errors occur when a radiologist or doctor sees a lesion but fails to recognize it as serious due to faulty reasoning. These often result from inexperience, especially among new physicians and medical students.
Cognitive bias can also lead to radiology errors, even among experienced radiologists. Cognitive bias is a thinking tendency that can cause a provider to become locked into a conclusion even in the face of contradictory data. It prevents objective thinking and can lead to a misdiagnosis. The table below lists the most common types of cognitive biases in radiology.
Anchoring bias
Fixating on the initial impression while ignoring evidence that points to an alternative diagnosis
Confirmation bias
Looking only at information that confirms a subjective finding while overlooking information contradicting it
Availability bias
Only considering diagnoses that readily come to mind
Zebra retreat bias
Diagnosing the wrong condition due to a fear of diagnosing a rare condition
Attribution bias
Diagnosing a condition based on the doctor’s especially, often after the doctor only sends information supporting such a diagnosis
Communication Errors
Radiology communication errors occur when radiologists delay reading imaging tests or fail to convey test results to doctors or patients. In some cases, the referring physician may be to blame for a communication error. For example, the doctor may ignore the test result or fail to communicate the result to the patient.
A doctor’s communication error can also affect the imaging test. The doctor may fail to provide the radiologist with all the patient’s clinical information. The doctor may fail to provide previous imaging test results. Without this information, the radiologist may not scan the precise location needed. It could also lead to an incorrect interpretation of the new test result.
Medication Errors
Approximately 7 percent of all medication errors occur during diagnostic imaging. Doctors routinely prescribe sedatives and benzodiazepines to perform imaging tests in patients with test-related anxiety or severe pain that would prevent them from tolerating the test.
These medications can cause adverse reactions when used together or with other drugs. Patients receiving these medications may experience severe side effects and require constant monitoring throughout the tests. Adverse effects may include aspiration, respiratory depression, inability to awaken, or death.
Patients also experience adverse effects from contrast dyes used to perform CT scans, MRIs, barium enemas, and other testing procedures. Mistakes occur when physicians fail to consider the patient’s current medications, allergies, and medical history. Doctors sometimes prescribe contrast dye for off-label uses, which means they are prescribed outside of FDA guidelines.
Complications from contrast dye toxicity can be life-threatening and may include the following:
- Acute kidney injury
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
- Cardiac events
- Sickle cell strokes
- Myasthenia gravis, a rapid weakening of the muscles
- Excessive thyroid hormones
- Narrowing of the blood vessels
General Negligence
In some cases, radiology malpractice involves overall carelessness outside of technical mistakes. This includes mistakes such as failing to protect a patient from falling off the imaging table, improper preparation for the procedure, failure to check the patient’s identification, and charting errors.
Negligence during interventional radiology procedures, such as angiography, stent placement, needle biopsies, tumor ablations, and feeding tube placement, can also cause serious harm. Negligence during these procedures may include inadequate sterilization of instruments, poor hand hygiene, puncturing a blood vessel, or damaging an organ.
How Common Are Radiology Errors?
Radiologists misinterpret as many as 30 percent of abnormal imaging results, an error rate that has remained largely unchanged since 1949 despite numerous technological advances. Radiologists face more lawsuits than other physicians, as shown in the graph of 2020 to 2022 data below.
Why Do Radiologists Make So Many Mistakes?
Radiologists work longer hours than other practitioners, and a 2023 study published in the European Journal of Radiology found that diagnostic errors in radiology are most common when radiologists have exceeded their average daily production. According to the research, the radiologists studied had workloads that were 21 percent higher than other practitioners.
Being overworked can lead to fatigue from lack of sleep and burnout from excessive workloads. Radiologists also experience frequent interruptions while performing imaging scans or reading tests. Each interruption creates a break in concentration that could increase the risk of error.
Approximately 58 percent of radiologists suffer from physiological conditions that may inhibit the high level of attention needed to accurately read imaging results, such as neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, eye strain, and headache.
How Can a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Attorney Help?
If you were injured by a misdiagnosis resulting from radiology malpractice or harmed by a botched procedure caused by a negligent radiologist, we will investigate your claim and fight for you to receive maximum compensation. We will determine which practitioners contributed to your injuries and gather evidence to establish the following elements of negligence:
- The radiologist and others owed you a duty of care.
- The practitioners failed to provide a reasonable standard of care.
- You suffered an injury you would not otherwise have suffered.
- The practitioners’ errors are the proximate cause of your injuries.
We have a network of the top medical experts in the nation working for us, and we will use these connections to strengthen your case. We will work to obtain a fair and reasonable settlement for your damages, but if the insurance company refuses to offer the compensation you deserve, we will fight for you in court.
You can count on us to stay in close contact with you as your case progresses. We will always be available to answer your questions and provide legal advice. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
Who Is Liable for Radiology Malpractice?
Radiologists are often liable for medical malpractice damages when imaging errors cause injuries. However, the radiology department is part of an intertwined medical system, and radiologists are often not the only responsible party.
Radiologists must rely on doctors to provide complete information so they can perform the correct tests and interpret the results accurately. They rely on nurses, pharmacists, and other medical staff to assist with procedures that require medication. Interventional radiologists work in tandem with numerous other health care professionals. The facilities that employ radiologists are also liable for radiology negligence.
We have successfully held the following parties liable in radiology malpractice claims in Chicago:
- Pharmacists
- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
Damages You Can Recover in a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Lawsuit
You may be eligible to recover economic and non-economic damages in a Chicago radiology malpractice lawsuit, which include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of bodily functions
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Inconvenience
- Emotional distress
We are committed to winning maximum damages for our clients. If you or your loved one has been harmed by radiology malpractice in Chicago or the surrounding areas, call us now at (312) 332-2872 for a free consultation.
When Should I Contact a Radiology Malpractice Lawyer in Chicago?
Contact a Chicago radiology malpractice law firm as soon as you realize you or your loved one has been harmed by radiology negligence. The Illinois statute of limitations for medical malpractice is two years from the date of the error.
You may not have discovered the harm right away when the error occurred. In these cases, the statute of limitations gives you two years from the date you discovered or should have discovered the injury to file your claim. This is known as the discovery rule. However, you must file suit within four years of the date of the error.
Determining whether the discovery rule applies to your case and what date applies is complex. Our experienced medical malpractice lawyers can make these determinations for you. The biggest mistake you can make is to wait too long to contact us. If you miss the filing deadline, you will lose your opportunity to pursue damages for your injuries.
Contact a Chicago Radiology Malpractice Lawyer Today
If you have been injured by radiology negligence, count on our compassionate and skilled Chicago radiology attorneys to file your claim on time and fight for the compensation you deserve.
You risk nothing by consulting our award-winning radiology malpractice lawyers in Chicago. We charge no upfront fees, and you pay nothing unless we win.
Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Legally Reviewed by
Michael F. Bonamarte, IV
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Notable Results
SETTLEMENT
child who suffered a catastrophic hypoxic-ischemic brain injury as a result of a negligent neonatal resuscitation and intubation
SETTLEMENT
for a former police officer who suffered a life-altering brain injury due to nursing staff negligence at a Chicago hospital
VERDICT
on behalf of a family whose mother died of lung cancer in 2015 as a result of a failure to diagnose
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