The Legal Impact of Ignored Lab Results and Imaging Reports
In high-stakes litigation, one of the most overlooked yet impactful sources of liability is the failure to act on abnormal lab results and imaging reports. Whether due to communication breakdowns, system alerts being missed, or sheer negligence, ignoring critical diagnostics can lead to catastrophic outcomes—and strong legal claims.
At Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, our legal nurse consultants (LNCs) specialize in identifying when errors occurred, determining who failed to act, and assessing how that failure contributed to patient harm. For attorneys, proving liability often comes down to demonstrating precisely where clinical findings were overlooked—and when action should have been taken.
📋 Why Ignored Results Are a Silent Legal Risk
In busy hospitals and clinics, abnormal findings are expected—but what’s not acceptable is failing to document, communicate, or follow up. Unfortunately, it happens more often than it should. This includes:
Critical labs like elevated troponin, creatinine, or abnormal CBCs
Imaging that shows masses, fractures, bleeds, or occlusions
Culture results indicating infection, sepsis, or antibiotic resistance
Pathology reports with malignancies
When these are buried in the chart, unacknowledged, or never conveyed to the provider or patient, the door opens to delay in diagnosis, improper treatment, or fatal outcomes.
⚠️ Real-World Scenarios That Often Lead to Litigation
1. A Radiologist Notes “Possible Mass,” But It’s Never Reviewed
Six months later, the patient returns with advanced cancer. Imaging showed the warning sign—but no one followed up.
2. Lab Shows Rising Troponins, But No Cardiology Consult Ordered
A patient complains of chest pain, but the ED discharges him with a diagnosis of GERD. He dies two days later of a myocardial infarction.
3. Positive Urine Culture in a Nursing Home Patient Is Overlooked
Fever and confusion worsen. No antibiotics are started. The patient develops sepsis, requiring ICU care.
📂 Records Our LNCs Focus On
When reviewing a case, Lexcura Summit’s consultants examine:
Time-stamped lab results and imaging reports
Provider acknowledgment (or lack thereof) in the chart
Orders placed—or not placed—after abnormal findings
Shift-to-shift handoffs and documentation of clinical changes
Communication logs, including verbal handoffs or call records
Discharge summaries to see if abnormal findings were documented or acted upon
We construct chronologies and visual timelines showing exactly where the communication or action failed—and the consequences that followed.
🔍 How These Errors Impact Liability
➤ Failure to Diagnose or Delay in Diagnosis
When abnormal results are ignored, a treatable condition can worsen into an irreversible one—opening the door for claims of negligence.
➤ Improper or Delayed Treatment
A missed critical value can lead to inadequate care or no care at all, often resulting in avoidable harm.
➤ Violation of the Standard of Care
Most hospital systems have protocols for reviewing and acting on lab or imaging results. Failing to follow those policies is a breach of duty.
➤ Lack of Informed Consent
If patients are discharged without being informed about key findings, it can support a claim that they weren’t adequately informed of critical health information.
🧠 Case Example: Missed Imaging Alert in Stroke Case
A patient presented with dizziness and a headache. CT scan showed early signs of stroke, but the result wasn’t reviewed until 8 hours later—after the tPA window had closed. The patient was left with permanent deficits.
Lexcura Summit’s Findings Included:
Delayed radiology read
No documentation that the ED provider reviewed the report
Failure to escalate or repeat imaging
Nursing notes showing progressive neuro decline
Our analysis helped clearly link the ignored report to the outcome—resulting in a successful settlement.
🛡️ Why Attorneys Rely on Lexcura Summit
Over 200 medical professionals with experience in acute care, diagnostics, radiology, and nursing
7-day turnaround on most reviews
Clear chronologies and visual summaries that expose communication and documentation failures
Expert witness alignment and testimony prep
HIPAA-compliant processes built for litigation
We don’t just find missed documentation—we help you prove how it impacted care and caused harm.
Final Thoughts
Ignored lab results and imaging reports are more than just oversights—they’re evidence of systemic breakdowns that put patients at risk. For attorneys, these silent failures can be the strongest part of a malpractice case—if they’re identified and explained clearly.
At Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, we specialize in turning disorganized charts into strong legal narratives. When the records matter, our consultants make sure no detail is missed—and no opportunity is lost.
📞 Need help uncovering diagnostic failures in your case?
Visit www.lexcura-summit.com to get started with a review.
