Dedicated to Protecting Compensation Rights for Victims of Radiologic Errors.
Radiology is an important aspect of medical practice and is life-saving in many cases. A radiologist is a type of specially trained doctor whose expertise involves interpreting the results of various medical testing, including interpreting MRIs, x-rays, CT scans and ultrasound results. MRIs use a magnetic field to create an image that can show a radiologist whether there is an injury or abnormality within the human body, and are one of the more frequently administered diagnostic tests in Florida medical facilities. While many incidents giving rise to medical malpractice claims in the field of radiology involve misdiagnosis, failure to communicate with patients or failure to perform the correct radiologic testing, the introduction of any type of metal into the MRI area can cause extensive injuries to the patient because of the magnetics used in the MRI machine itself. Our Florida radiology error lawyers can help you.
Because of this, certain radiologic events involving the interaction of MRI machines with metal objects are classified as “never events” that should never occur in the medical context. Bringing any type of metal object into the MRI area can pose extreme danger both to the patient who is receiving the MRI and any medical staff members present in the area.
At Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., our skilled medical malpractice lawyers are committed to helping patients and their families who have been harmed by radiologic events obtain the compensation that they deserve to hold negligent medical facilities and staff accountable for their actions. Our Florida radiology error lawyers are fully bilingual, and we are dedicated to protecting the rights of members of our Hispanic community who have been harmed because of careless behaviors in Florida medical facilities.
Potential for Harm Caused by Radiologic Events Involving Metal in the MRI Area in Florida Medical Facilities
While obtaining a proper and thorough patient history is critical to ensuring that the patient’s body does not contain certain types of metals, medical staff members must also be fully trained to avoid introduction of metal into the MRI area. Scenarios where mixing metal with an MRI machine can result in a radiologic event that is classified as a medical “never event” include:
- A patient with certain types of aneurysm clips is given an MRI,
- A patient with certain types of pacemakers or other medical implants that contain metal is given an MRI,
- An object brought into the MRI room, such as a chair or oxygen tank, contains metal and is sucked into the magnetic field,
- A patient is given an MRI and has an item, such as an EKG lead, stuck to the body, which can result in severe burns.
Metal can be present in a surprising number of items that are commonly found in medical facilities and hospitals, and it is vital that hospital staff members—even those who are not trained as medical doctors—receive proper training as to the harm possible when metal is introduced into the MRI area. Common circumstances that may lead to the introduction of metal into the MRI area include:
- Improperly trained medical staff members,
- Failure to take a proper patient history,
- Errors involving administering the wrong test on the patient or patient mix-ups,
- Poorly developed policies on the part of the medical facility.
Gonzalez & Cartwright’s Florida Radiology Error Lawyers Committed to Obtaining Results for Clients Injured Because of a Preventable Radiologic Event
Introduction of metal into the MRI area can result in extreme harm and even death to both patients and medical staff members. If you are untrained in the inner workings of an MRI machine, you may not even know that such harm is a risk, which is why medical facilities have a legal duty to ensure their staff members are trained so that this type of radiologic event never occurs. At Gonzalez & Cartwright, P.A., our skilled lawyers will put all of our resources to work in recovering the maximum amount of compensation available in your case and will handle every aspect of your case while you focus on recovering from your injuries or loss of a loved one.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Florida Radiology Error Lawyers
If you or a loved one have suffered harm because of a radiologic event involving the introduction of metal into the MRI area in Palm Beach County or elsewhere in Florida, you may be entitled to compensation for those injuries. Call our experienced Florida radiology error lawyers, or fill out this secure online contact form, to schedule a free initial consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Radiologic Events and Errors in Florida
It is important that you disclose the presence of any implants or devices in your body to your doctor while giving your medical history so that the medical team can assess whether an MRI is safe in your case. However, many more modern medical implants and devices do not react negatively with an MRI machine because of advances in medical technology. Whether an MRI is safe for you will depend upon the specifics of the implant’s material makeup.
Medical malpractice cases may not involve the actions of a trained medical doctor at all. In some cases, it is the actions of a nurse, orderly or radiologic assistant whose careless actions or poor training caused significant harm to the patient. Medical facilities are legally obligated to develop training procedures and administer those procedures so that every member of their staff who may enter a radiologic testing space is trained to prevent these entirely preventable types of harm. If a staff member allowed a metal oxygen tank to be introduced into the MRI area, that staff member clearly did not receive the training necessary to prevent the harm from occurring. Employers are legally responsible for the negligent actions of their employees that are committed in the course of employment, so a medical malpractice case against the facility itself may be a viable option for recovering compensation for your injuries.