Among other uses in medicine, radiation therapy is used to treat cancer patients. Radiation has the power to damage and destroy cancer cells. If it is not used carefully, however, radiation can harm healthy cells and DNA, as well. Radiation errors – medical malpractice when administering radiation – can lead to serious patient injuries and even premature death. If you believe you are a victim of a radiation error in Boston, Massachusetts, contact Barry D. Lang, M.D. & Associates for a free consultation. You may be entitled to financial compensation.
Why Do You Need a Boston Radiation Error Attorney?
A radiation error lawsuit is a complicated type of case in Massachusetts. Medical malpractice cases of all types come with unique laws and rules in the Commonwealth. You must present your evidence of a radiation error before a tribunal made up of an attorney, relevant medical professional and justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court, for example, to show that your case has merit. You must pass through the tribunal before you are allowed to proceed with a lawsuit. An experienced Boston radiation error lawyer can help you navigate all of Massachusetts’ malpractice laws and requirements.
Common Radiation Errors
Radiation therapy is a medical treatment that uses high-energy radiation to destroy cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Radiation travels as waves or energized particles, targeting the cells that need to be destroyed. Since radiation can harm healthy cells, as well, any treatment using this type of therapy must be precisely controlled to avoid injury to the patient and unnecessary cell damage.
If a medical professional makes a mistake while administering radiation therapy, it can cause serious harm to the patient. Common examples of radiation errors include:
- Patient overexposure to radiation
- Failure to follow safety protocols to protect a patient
- Error made by a technician
- Incorrect radiation prescription
- Wrong radiation dosage
- Improper positioning of radiation beams
- Medical equipment programming mistakes
- Mechanical malfunctions or defective equipment
A preventable radiation error that injures a patient in Boston can give the victim grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. The definition of medical malpractice is professional negligence in the health care field, or a doctor violating the required standard of patient care. If you or your lawyer can prove that your physician fell short of the standard of care or made a preventable error while you were undergoing radiation therapy, you could receive financial compensation through a medical malpractice claim.
Injuries Caused by Radiation Errors
When used correctly, radiation therapy can help a cancer patient beat his or her disease and enter into remission. When used incorrectly, however, radiation can result in serious patient injuries. The most common error – radiation overdose – can cause irreversible damage to a victim’s skin and organs. Unfortunately, not much can be done for a patient who has suffered from overexposure to radiation. Radiation errors can cause many health problems, including:
- Radiation poisoning or contamination
- Nausea or vomiting
- Headaches
- Fever
- Visible burns
- Organ and tissue damage
- Inability to eat or speak
- Inability to walk
- Problems with balance and coordination
- Wrongful death
If you or a loved one has been injured by a radiation error while receiving medical care in Boston, you may qualify for compensation. With help from a radiation error attorney in Boston, you could receive a settlement or judgment award to cover many past and future related losses, such as your medical expenses, pain and suffering, emotional distress, lost quality of life, and lost wages.
Contact a Radiation Error Attorney in Boston Today
At Barry D. Lang, M.D. & Associates, our team of Boston medical malpractice lawyers have been helping victims of medical malpractice pursue justice and compensation for more than 20 years. Our law firm has all of the resources, knowledge and experience needed to evaluate your radiation error case, including on-staff doctors and nurses. We also have relationships with top medical providers around the country to provide trial testimony for clients, when needed.
To learn more about your legal rights as a victim of a radiation error in Boston, contact us today at 1-877-LAW-DOCS. Initial consultations are free.