Ted Smith scored a nice victory on behalf of a local diagnostic radiologist prevailing after nearly three weeks at trial in Onondaga County Supreme Court. Plaintiffs alleged the physician failed to diagnose a punctate lacunar infarct on MRI imaging which was read the next morning by a neuroradiologist as a discrepant finding after the patient was discharged from the Emergency Department. The patient was readmitted to the hospital the following day for treatment of an ischemic stroke.
The negligence allegations against the doctor were rebutted by experts in the fields of diagnostic radiology and vascular neurology who opined the client’s initial MRI reading was consistent with the medical standard of care and the final read over the next morning complied with the hospital’s policy to require specialized imaging studies, such as a brain MRI, be read by a neuroradiologist with a higher level of advanced training. The proof at trial demonstrated there was no harm or injury to the patient related to the discharge from the hospital overnight and plaintiff received all timely and necessary treatments for her stroke.
The jury agreed and rendered a unanimous verdict on all counts in favor of the defense after some brief deliberations.
