Imagine for a moment that you are an imagining specialist working for a hospital here in Albany. You are tasked with reading the scans taken of a patient’s head who has been complaining of headaches. In your professional opinion, you see nothing wrong on the images. Because of your diagnosis, the patient is released.
The next day, however, the patient is admitted to the emergency room and later dies. It’s only after hearing about the patient’s death that you look back at the scans. You realize that you missed an aneurysm. The questions arises now: do you admit your mistake and report the error to the patient’s family and your insurer?
Though you might believe you are doing the right thing by admitting your mistake, this is not your best first option. Because of New York medical malpractice laws, you could be held liable in a civil lawsuit for admitting your error. Instead, you should talk to a lawyer immediately in order to discuss your case and learn about your rights.
At O’Connor, O’Connor, Bresee & First, we have considerable experience defending medical specialists like radiologists and imaging specialist against damaging medical malpractice lawsuits. We know the best way to address medical mistakes so as to protect your professional license and livelihood.
Defending yourself against allegations of wrongdoing can be a challenge, especially if you’re already feeling guilty about your mistake. Remember: you don’t have to tackle a civil lawsuit on your own. You have the right to a lawyer and are encouraged to exercise that right when necessary.