Indianapolis Misread X-Ray Lawyers

X-rays are electromagnetic waves. They penetrate the skin and create images of the underlying structures. Medical professionals use X-rays for many purposes. Primarily, they use them to diagnose injury and illness. However, as with any diagnostic tool, things can go wrong with X-rays. For instance, a doctor can misread an X-ray. In turn, the doctor may fail to diagnose and treat a patient’s serious medical condition.

If you suspect that you received negligent medical care which involved the misreading of an X-ray, contact an experienced Indianapolis medical malpractice lawyer at the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson today. We can review the evidence and consult with leading medical experts to determine what happened. We will devote our efforts to helping you:

• Rest easy while knowing your case is in the hands of an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience, a staff that features a full-time nurse litigator, a network of experts from across the country and a proven approach to medical malpractice cases.
• Avoid stress that comes from dealing with negligent medical care providers and their insurance companies. We will communicate with them on your behalf and keep you regularly updated about your case. We lead our clients through the process and work with them as a team.
• Never worry about paying for a lawyer. The Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson will advance all expenses, and we will charge no fees unless we obtain a recovery for you.

To get started, contact us today for a free and private consultation.

Why Do Healthcare Providers Misread X-Rays?

When you go to a doctor or hospital, you have basic expectations. You expect that your medical providers will exercise a reasonable degree of care and caution when they perform procedures or make diagnoses. You also expect that professionals will meet the applicable standards of care for their specialty.

Unfortunately, some healthcare professionals may be overworked, frustrated or distracted by administrative matters. Newer practitioners may be uncomfortable with seeking a second opinion from a senior doctor. More experienced medical professionals may simply grow careless or overconfident and make reckless mistakes. Whatever the underlying reasons, common X-ray-related errors include:

• Technique or acquisition errors. This occurs when a doctor orders the wrong X-ray, or the X-ray is taken at the wrong angle and fails to show the problem that a doctor should diagnose.
• Under-reading. This is widely known to be the most common X-ray mistake. It occurs when the problem is visible on the imaging, but the doctor fails to detect or report the condition.
• History errors. This occurs when a doctor misses a condition because the doctor failed to take a complete and thorough medical history from the patient and the chart.
• Other misread tests. Other tests can also be misread, leading to injuries. This may include the following, just to mention a few examples:
  • MRI
  • CT scan
  • Ultrasound
  • Blood or lab work
  • Urine sample
  • EEG

Misread X-rays are serious. Without a proper X-ray reading, serious or even fatal conditions can go undiagnosed and untreated. In many cases, conditions that would have been fairly uncomplicated if diagnosed early can become life-threatening if untreated. A missed cancer diagnosis, for example, could lead physicians to fail to treat the cancer until it is too late.

Who Should Be Held Responsible for a Misread X-Ray?

It is not just doctors who make tragic errors when they read X-rays. It depends on the facts of your case. You may be able to seek compensation from:

• Radiologists
• Medical practice groups
• Hospitals
• Surgical centers
• Nursing staff
• Medical technicians
• Radiological technicians.

Hospitals can be liable for the negligence of their employees as well as for its own negligence. If a nurse is improperly trained, or the hospital fails to provide adequate equipment, the hospital could possibly be responsible for both types of negligence. You deserve to work with a skilled and knowledgeable legal team that will identify all responsible parties in your case.

How Can a Lawyer Help You with Your Misread X-Ray Case?

Our dedicated legal team at the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson will pursue a fair settlement from the negligent parties involved in your misread X-ray case. If the damages in your case exceed a specific threshold, we may be able to obtain additional compensation through the Indiana Patient’s Compensation Fund.

At the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson, we focus heavily on beginning each case with an open and honest assessment of the pros and cons. It is a five-step approach:

1. We get to know you. We speak with you and your family and gather all necessary paperwork and information about you as our client.
2. Gather your medical records. Next, we request and collect all of your medical records so we can get a better idea of what happened to you.
3. Conduct a nurse review. Our on-staff nurse consultant will evaluate your medical records and other information. Our consultant has nearly 10 years of experience with our law firm.
4. Consult with an expert. Indiana law requires all medical malpractice cases to be presented to an independent review board. So, we frequently consult with highly qualified medical specialists early in a case. They help us to focus on the specific ways that the care was negligent. Many of the experts we consult have credentials from schools like Harvard, Yale, Stanford and UCLA.
5. Move forward for you. We will make a recommendation to you on whether to pursue a claim. If you wish to move forward, we will take care of all filing and paperwork, pursue a settlement and be prepared to present the strongest case possible in the courtroom.

Contact Our Indianapolis Misread X-Ray Lawyer

With nearly 20 years of legal experience, the Law Office of Kelley J. Johnson is here for you when you need us. We realize how important compensation can be after a serious and life-changing injury. We understand that victims and their families often suffer from overwhelming medical expenses, the loss of employment and sometimes find themselves facing complete financial ruin.

We want to help you If you have been hurt by a negligent healthcare provider, or if your loved one has suffered or passed away due to a careless medical error, contact us today for a free case evaluation.  We serve clients in Indianapolis and throughout Indiana.