Burns and Other Injuries From Radiological Malpractice
The medical malpractice attorneys at Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder, PC, represent clients who have been harmed by radiological malpractice in diagnostic tests or therapeutic treatment. To learn more about failure to diagnose illness because of mistakes in diagnostic tests, such as MRIs, X-rays and CT scans, please visit our radiologist misdiagnosis page.
Radiation Therapy Injuries
Radiation therapy is commonly used in the treatment of cancer. It uses high-energy beams to stop the growth and division of cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be external — from machines outside of the body, or internal — from radioactive material implanted directly into a tumor.
When patients are over-radiated, they can sustain serious burns to surrounding tissues, which can increase the risk of developing another cancer in the future. Massive overdoses of radiation can be lethal. On the other hand, insufficient doses can rob patients of the opportunity to recover from their disease.
Radiation therapy for cancer is usually planned by a radiation oncologist and carried out by radiation technicians. Mistakes can occur because of:
- Placement of external radiation devices
- Surgical errors in the placement of internal radioactive material
- Shielding errors
- Mistakes in developing a treatment plan
- Overdoses of radiation
- Inadequate doses of radiation
- Over-reliance on computerized record and verify (R&V) system
- Miscommunication among members of the radiation therapy team
Some patients can develop delayed reactions to radiation therapy several years after treatment. For example, delayed intracerebral hemorrhage is a rare side effect of radiation for brain stem tumors. Some conditions are known side effects of radiation; others may be the result of malpractice.
It is important for patients and their families to discuss their concerns about radiation therapy errors with an attorney who understands radiological malpractice.
If you or a member of your family was seriously harmed because of radiological malpractice, please contact our law firm to arrange a free initial consultation. From offices in Bridgeport, Stamford, Danbury and New Haven, Connecticut, our medical malpractice lawyers represent clients throughout the state.
