Failure to Order a CT Scan for Head Trauma: Legal Consequences
Head trauma is one of the most urgent medical presentations in the emergency room. A patient with a head injury may appear stable but could have a life-threatening bleed inside the skull. The CT scan is the gold standard for diagnosing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). When providers fail to order this test in a timely manner, the result can be permanent disability—or even death.
At Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, we help attorneys evaluate cases where a delayed or missed CT scan led to catastrophic outcomes.
Why CT Scans Are Critical in Head Trauma
Not all head injuries are visible. A patient may walk, talk, and appear alert, but bleeding in the brain can progress quickly. CT scans are crucial to identify:
Intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding inside the skull)
Skull fractures
Brain swelling or edema
Subdural and epidural hematomas
Guidelines such as the Canadian CT Head Rule or New Orleans Criteria guide emergency providers on when scans are necessary. Failure to follow these standards can be considered negligence.
When Does Failing to Order a CT Scan Equal Malpractice?
Not every case of missed imaging qualifies as malpractice. Attorneys typically look for:
Red flag symptoms (loss of consciousness, confusion, vomiting, neurological deficits) that should have triggered a scan
Deviation from clinical guidelines
Failure to reassess when symptoms worsened
Harm directly linked to the missed CT—such as permanent brain damage or preventable death
If a reasonable physician would have ordered the test under similar circumstances, liability may exist.
Proving Negligence in Head Trauma Cases
Proving liability requires a careful reconstruction of what happened. Key evidence includes:
Triage notes and initial assessments
Vital signs and neurological checks
Physician orders and documentation
Timing of symptom progression vs. imaging decisions
Radiology reports (if eventually performed)
Medical chronologies can demonstrate how much time passed between injury, evaluation, and diagnosis—exposing whether delays were preventable.
Long-Term Consequences of Missed CT Scans
When head trauma is missed, patients may suffer:
Hypoxic brain injury from swelling or bleeding
Cognitive decline or permanent disability
Loss of independence and long-term care needs
Wrongful death due to untreated intracranial bleeding
These outcomes not only devastate families but also create significant damages in litigation.
How Lexcura Summit Supports Attorneys
At Lexcura Summit, our team of 200+ board-certified clinicians provides litigation-ready support in missed head trauma cases. We offer:
Medical Chronologies – Mapping each event minute by minute.
Narrative Summaries – Explaining why a CT scan should have been ordered.
Case Screening – Identifying whether malpractice standards were breached.
Life Care Plans – Outlining long-term costs of brain injury.
Defense & Rebuttal Reports – Supporting both plaintiff and defense attorneys.
We deliver reports in 7 days (rush in 2–3), nationwide and fully HIPAA-compliant.
Key Takeaways
CT scans are critical for diagnosing head trauma and preventing catastrophic outcomes.
Failure to order a scan when indicated can equal malpractice if it violates medical standards.
Attorneys rely on medical chronologies, summaries, and expert reviews to prove liability.
Lexcura Summit provides the expertise needed to reconstruct timelines and strengthen cases.
Contact Lexcura Summit
If you’re handling a case involving missed or delayed CT scans, we can help.
Lexcura Summit Medical-Legal Consulting, LLC
📞 (352) 703-0703
🌐 www.lexcura-summit.com
