Have You Experienced Radiation Exposure Malpractice?

Some types of medical malpractice are more common than others.

Misdiagnosis is one of the leading causes of medical malpractice lawsuits. Childbirth injuries are relatively common, as are some surgical errors, and medication errors. But some types of medical malpractice, radiation malpractice, for instance, are less common.

Cases do, however, happen. One California man sued Sedars-Sinai Medical Center after he experienced an overdose in radiation during a CT scan.

The man said that he received a dose of radiation that was over eight times the amount that he should have received when he underwent a CT scan in 2008. He began experiencing bizarre symptoms following the scan, that at the time he did not know enough to attribute to radiation overdose. The symptoms included very red and inflamed skin on his scalp and on his face that also became very flaky. And then his eyebrows and hair started falling out. These are all symptoms that indicate a radiation overdose.

He says a while later the hospital called and asked him about his procedure, specifically wondering whether or not he had experienced any negative side effects. He was not informed, however, why they were asking or told that he was been accidentally given a radiation overdose.

There were 206 other patients who had also been exposed to the dangerous levels of radiation and who were also named in the class action lawsuit.

Radiation can be extremely hazardous to people’s health, which is why being exposed to too much can cause such intense side effects. Radiation exposure should therefore be carefully monitored in order to preserve the health of the patients it is being used to treat. It is used in a variety of medical procedures, including cancer treatment. While radiation is utilized to kill cells that are multiplying and wreaking havoc within a patient’s body, it can also cause significant damage to surrounding healthy cells as well. Because of this, determining radiation dosage is crucial. It must be used effectively, of course, but also sparingly.

St. Louis Radiation Malpractice Attorney

Radiation overexposure is not limited to the temporary symptoms experienced by this man, either. Radiation overdose is very serious and can lead to many serious medical conditions. Most instances of radiation overexposure can be traced back to negligent medical professionals, usually doctors. This is an area where special care should be taken and negligence is unacceptable.

If you have been or believe you have been the victim of radiation overdose or overexposure, contact a medical malpractice attorney at the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm as soon as possible. In order to for medical malpractice to have occurred, you need to have suffered as harm as a result of the incident, but not all symptoms become immediately apparent. You should contact an attorney immediately if you think that this has been an issue. Our experienced St. Louis medical malpractice attorneys can help to investigate the incident if necessary, uncover evidence, and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries and losses relating to the malpractice. We understand that when doctors are negligent it can cause serious harm to patients and can be very emotionally damaging.

Let us take up the fight for you and your family.

Fill out our Online Case Evaluation Form or call us at (314) 588-7200 to schedule a free consultation.

photo credit: IndyDina with Mr. Wonderful