Los Angeles Attorneys Representing Victims of Cedars-Sinai CT Scan Radiation Overexposure

OCTOBER 15, 2009 – As more information is now surfacing about patients being exposed to more than eight times the normal radiation during CT brain perfusion scans at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, victims and their families are learning of the dangers associated with the overexposure and many are considering legal action. Victims of radiation overexposure due to medical negligence have legal rights to compensation for the long-term effects of the overradiation. Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at Estey & Bomberger are currently representing victims exposed to unsafe levels of radiation in CT scans at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles from February 2008 until August 2009.

206 Patients Exposed to 8x Radiation Over 18 Month Period

In a statement released on October 9, 2009, officials at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center confirmed that 206 patients at the popular Los Angeles area hospital were exposed to 8x normal radiation. All of the 206 patients had brain perfusion CT scans – tests used to diagnose strokes or intracranial hemorrhages. The hospital error went unnoticed from February 2008 to August of 2009. On October 15, 2009, the LA Times reported that several patients had been contacted by the hospital regarding hair loss, but had not been notified of the hospital’s error or the risk of cancer associated with the overexposure. Cedars-Sinai said the radiation overdoses began when the hospital reconfigured a scanner to help doctors better see blood flow to the brain. The radiation overdoses occurred for 18 months until a patient reported hair loss and the hospital discovered the error in August.

Potential Hazards of Radiation Overexposure

Radiation is measured in grays (symbol Gy). According to a statement released last week from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), instead of receiving the expected dose of 0.5 Gy (maximum) to the head, the Cedars-Sinai brain perfusion CT scan patients received 3-4 Gy. Overexposure to radiation can lead to numerous health problems, including erythema (reddening of the skin), hair loss, cataracts, and most significantly, a heightened risk of developing cancer. Some of the Cedars-Sinai patients received multiple CT scans, further increasing risk of adverse effects.

About Estey & Bomberger, LLP – Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorneys

Estey & Bomberger, LLP is a premier California personal injury law firm that specializes in complex and high-value personal injury and medical negligence litigation. The attorneys at Estey & Bomberger have won numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in recent years, and are currently representing victims of radiation overexposure at Cedars-Sinai. If you or someone in your family suffered a radiation overdose in a brain perfusion CT scan at Cedars-Sinai hospital, contact the attorneys at Estey & Bomberger today for a free and confidential review of your situation at (213)596-4855. All cases are handled on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not charge any fees unless we win your case.

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