Medical malpractice and personal injury cases may involve hundreds or even thousands of pages of medical evidence, but some of the most compelling evidence is medical imaging. When used well, the results of X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other imaging tests can literally and figuratively paint a compelling picture for the jury.
However, the meaning of medical imaging results is not obvious to the layperson, or even the lay judge. This is why medical experts, such as radiologists, play an important role.
Explaining what information was available to the defendant doctor
Malpractice cases based on diagnostic errors can be particularly tricky to litigate. It’s easy enough to say, with the benefit of hindsight, that something important was missed, but the legal standard is based on the information that was available to the defendant doctor at the time and whether the doctor followed medical standards of care in interpreting and reacting to that information.
In these situations, both plaintiff and defense lawyers rely on medical experts to explain the medical imaging to the judge and jury. An experienced expert witness can offer compelling testimony explaining exactly what the image does (and doesn’t) show and establishing the medical standard of care for how the test results should have been interpreted.
Describing the plaintiff’s injuries and symptoms
In any injury case, medical imaging may also be used to explain the plaintiff’s injuries: the severity, the mechanism of injury, and, in combination with other medical evidence, the effects and long-term prognosis. Expert testimony is needed to translate the information in the imaging test results for the judge and jury.
An experienced radiologist or other medical expert can provide clear, compelling testimony in depositions and, if necessary, at trial. The right expert can elevate the value of the imaging itself to strengthen and add credibility to legal arguments.
Preparing expert reports
Medical experts also review and interpret imaging results and prepare detailed reports for the benefit of the court, translating complex concepts into accessible language for the layperson. On motions for summary judgment, for example, judges rely on these reports to determine whether the medical evidence establishes a genuine issue of material fact. Introducing a compelling report into the record can make the difference between surviving summary judgment and having a case stopped in its tracks.
A highly qualified expert witness can make all the difference
Because interpretation of imaging results can make such a dramatic difference in a case, it’s important to have a highly qualified expert witness to provide that interpretation. A radiologist or other physician who is qualified on paper is the bare minimum. The best experts have credentials that resonate with juries and, even more importantly, the experience needed to offer compelling testimony and credibly rebut the other side’s experts.
For nearly four decades, the team at Rieback Medical-Legal Consultants has been providing the best in medicine to assist the legal community. If you need a medical expert to interpret imaging results, give us a call or contact us online to find your expert.
"Ms. Rieback consistently locates well-qualified medical experts that permit me to make early and accurate case evaluations and assist us in tipping the scales of justice in our client's favor. The professionals that she recommends to us are consistently highly experienced, meticulous in their case preparation and analysis, and superb witnesses at both deposition and trial." — Alan F. Wagner, Wagner, Vaughan & McLaughlin, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐