Question

A woman was hit by a car and complained of injuries to her leg, knee, hip, and thigh. She was taken to the nearest hospital, where, on the orders of a physician, she received X-rays of her arm and pelvis. No X-ray was taken of her leg, and she was released from the hospital on crutches. The pain in her leg increased, and she went to another hospital some hours later, where an X-ray was taken and revealed that her leg was fractured. She was admitted to the second hospital and remained an inpatient for a month. Ten days after admission to the second hospital, she received a letter from the first hospital telling her to return for a leg X-ray, she sued the first hospital and the radiologist. Does the radiologist, who never saw her, have a contractual relationship with the patient?

Answer 1

In this case it is very true there is fault of first hospital and the appeal legal action on first hospital is very genuine and it should bealso on thephysician also. But in this case there is not a logical fault of radiologist by rule as he had followed the order of physician. But at the same time i wold like to state that there was a moral responsibility of the radiologist to consult for the X ray of legs also as per code of ethics although it was not recommended by the physician.

As in this case ultimate patient has suffed and her condition was worsened, hence she is having full right to appeal for legal action against hospital as well as physician but not radiologist in my view.