Gail Ingram went to a hospital emergency room complaining of abdominal pain. She underwent a CT scan, which was interpreted by a radiologist, Dr. Barbara Blanco, as showing possible pancreatitis, a gallstone, and no acute bowel findings. Ingram was 61 years old at that time. After a four-day hospitalization, she…
Articles Posted in Radiology Errors
U.S. Court of Appeals Affirms $15 Million Jury Verdict for Misdiagnosis of Cancer by Radiologist
This case arises out of a medical malpractice lawsuit alleged to have been prompted by the negligence of a radiologist. Courtney Webster had a CT scan performed at CDI Indiana LLC‘s diagnostic imaging facility. The radiologist, an independent contractor hired by Medical Scanning Consultants, missed identifying and diagnosing the cancer,…
$3.5 Million Jury Verdict in Failure to Diagnose and Treat Ischemic Stroke
Melanie Smith, 40, was taken to a hospital suffering from a severe headache, slurred speech, dizziness, right-sided weakness, and vomiting. These were all apparent signs of a stroke. Two hours after she arrived at the hospital, an emergency physician, Dr. Antonio Baca, examined her, prescribed migraine medication and ordered a…
$14 Million Jury Verdict for Error in Misreading CT Scan
Courtney Webster was diagnosed as having rectal cancer when she was 41 years old. Five years later, she underwent a CT scan at CDI Indiana Center for Diagnostic Imaging after she experienced constipation and noticed blood in her stools. An independent contractor physician interpreted the CT test and did not…
$6.6 Million Jury Verdict for Failure to Diagnose and Treat Vein Clot
Kara Nguyen experienced pain after undergoing a splenectomy, which is the surgical removal of the spleen. She was 23 years old at the time. Her surgeon, Dr. Jorge Leiva, ordered a CT scan. Dr. Andre Arash Lighvani, a radiologist, interpreted the scan as normal. She was discharged from the hospital…
$1.46 Million Judgment in Negligent Misdiagnosis of Lung Cancer
William Mann had a history of smoking. He underwent a routine physical including a chest x-ray, which was interpreted as normal. However, three years later, he was diagnosed as having metastatic lung cancer. In spite of chemotherapy, radiation and other cancer treatments, including a procedure to reinforce the bones in…
$495,000 Jury Verdict After Delayed Diagnosis of Cancer Leads to Premature Death
Albert Ragin experienced unexplained weight loss and night sweating. At the time he was in his 80s. CT scans without contrast of his chest, abdomen, and pelvis revealed a left kidney cyst, but there were no other kidney abnormalities. About a year later, in 2013, a renal artery Doppler test…
$1.6 Million Settlement Reached After Mediation for Wrongful Death of Patient Caused by Overuse of Lovenox
In the confidential reporting of this case, Mr. Doe, 58, developed shortness of breath. He was admitted to a local hospital where he underwent various tests to rule out pulmonary embolism. The hospital staff interpreted a pulmonary angiogram suspicious for, but not diagnostic of, an embolism. Mr. Doe was prescribed…
$4.39 Million Jury Verdict for Late Diagnosis and Treatment of Cancer
Sean Pedley was 43 when he developed a lump in his left thigh. An internist, Dr. Syed Danish, ordered an x-ray that did not signify or later lead to a diagnosis. Pedley’s mass grew and became painful over the next two years. When a later biopsy of the mass was…
Failure to Timely Diagnose Lung Cancer Leads to Settlement of $1.47 Million
Gerald Teeuwen, 77, developed a persistent cough. He went to an urgent care facility and later underwent a chest x-ray, which was interpreted as showing a density in his left lung. Teeuwen was referred to a pulmonologist, Dr. Peter Birk. Dr. Birk ordered a second chest x-ray, which radiologist Dr.…